


Aftermath and Ascension

by pseudomoi



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Old Republic
Genre: Minor Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-19
Updated: 2015-09-13
Packaged: 2018-02-13 21:24:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 28
Words: 85,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2165745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pseudomoi/pseuds/pseudomoi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ascend: to move, climb, or go upward; rise; OR: to go toward the source or beginning.</p>
<p>After betrayal rocks her to the core, Lord Torilya Tisonne must overcome the fallout in order to halt her corrupt master's rise to power -- even as she is forced to reconsider her place in the Empire and her role as a Sith. Contains spoilers for the SW story line. SW/Quinn, despite initial appearances.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Some in-game dialogue and events are depicted within this work. Anything recognizable is obviously not mine; I have taken some liberties with in-game elements.

Years of military training had conditioned Lieutenant Pierce to wake at the slightest sound when necessary, but since entering Lord Torilya’s service, he had rarely needed to sleep “on alert,” as he called it -- at least, not while aboard her ship. Tonight, though, he found himself only able to doze lightly, unable to shake the uneasiness that permeated the ship. He thumped his head back into his pillow and cracked his beefy knuckles, then gave into his racing thoughts and tried to piece together the events of the last several days.

Quinn had disappeared abruptly a couple of days ago, saying only that “his lord required his services elsewhere” and that he’d return soon. The Sith had been tightlipped on the matter, snapping pettishly at Vette to drop it when she pressed for details, but Pierce knew it had to be related to whatever had happened on the transponder station a week prior. Quinn had stumbled back onto the ship a full twenty minutes before their lord, obviously injured and looking positively green, but would only say -- in an unusually raspy voice -- that their mission was complete before retreating to the med bay and pulling the door shut. Pierce had started after him to demand an explanation and details regarding Torilya’s whereabouts, but Jaesa had stopped him.

“I don’t know exactly what’s happening, Pierce, but I sense that digging for details now will serve none of us well,” she’d said, uncharacteristically calmly. “Best to at least wait for Master to return. She is close by; I can feel her.”

Pierce studied Jaesa’s yellow eyes for a moment before exhaling roughly. “All right, but if he’s done something stupid…” he trailed off, not finishing his threat.

Jaesa had merely nodded before going back to the holoterminal to continue her so-called research on potential “disloyal” Sith. Just when Pierce had decided to go look for her, Torilya appeared at the ship’s airlock, her hood pulled low over her face. Vette rushed to her side, but the Sith waved her off, barking a vague order at no one in particular to get them to the Fleet before disappearing into her quarters and sealing the door. Vette had looked stunned, but collected herself quickly and scampered to the bridge to plot their course.

The days following had been unusually quiet on the Fury. Normally the ship was a hub of activity between Lord Torilya doing training exercises with Jaesa in the cargo hold or gabbing loudly in the lounge area with Vette, the two of them sometimes ganging up on Quinn to give him a hard time, much to Pierce’s delight. Quinn had not emerged from the medbay other than to make the occasional trip to the refresher, thereby skipping the intimate breakfasts at the small table tucked into the galley corner that had become routine for him and Torilya to share. Even Broonmark seemed to move more cautiously, warbling menacingly at anyone who started to approach Torilya’s door when she was sequestered behind it. She moved about the ship on occasion to take care of some business and sat with the crew to mechanically eat the meals Vette forced on her, but had otherwise taken to spending most of her time in her quarters.

Finally, after a few days of this, Torilya had risen early one morning and stalked into the medbay, using the Force to blow the latch on the door. A low, tense conversation ensued between her and Quinn, and when Torilya emerged some moments later, she looked Pierce in the eye for the first time since she had returned from the transponder station as he passed by her on his way to do his morning workout in the cargo hold. Pierce had to quickly school his expression to hide his surprise at what he saw: Though Torilya had always walked a fairly dark path, she had never borne physical evidence of it, something Pierce had always attributed to her extraordinary strength and discipline in the Force. Unlike most Sith he had known, she seemed to use her emotions to work in tandem with the Force, always strictly in control, rather than straining to bend it to her will or allowing it to consume her. Now, however, her eyes flashed orange at him rather than their usual bright green, and her skin had taken on a darkish pallor around them, making the effect all the more intense.

“M’lord,” he’d greeted her, nodding deferentially as he always did.

She’d paused for a moment before drawing a deep breath. “Better get used to calling me ‘Wrath,’ Pierce,” she said, her tone clipped but without real rebuke. “Once I take Baras down, it will be necessary to maintain a certain image before the Council.”

“Understood, sir,” he’d quipped, snapping a salute and grinning rakishly at her, hoping to elicit a smirk. She’d merely nodded at him and continued to the galley, where Vette was waiting to ambush her with a hot breakfast and cup of caff. Quinn had departed an hour later, looking healed but unkempt, something Pierce had never thought he’d see from the uptight Captain.

Since that morning, Torilya -- _Wrath_ , he mentally corrected himself, rolling over once again in his bunk -- had been a bit more herself, though without her usual dry sense of humor. They were currently still docked at the Fleet; Too-Vee had been working round the clock to coordinate upgrading and repairing their armor, performing maintenance on the ship, and putting the trashed medbay back to rights, laying in plenty of extra supplies before heading to Corellia to meet Darth Vowrawn, “just in case,” Vette had said.

He’d overheard Jaesa attempting to coax Torilya into venturing off the ship to Vaiken’s small cantina earlier that evening, but she had given up fairly quickly and headed down alone, scantily dressed, with a “don’t wait up!” tossed casually over her shoulder as she breezed out the airlock. Normally Pierce might have followed her down in hopes of at least some entertainment, if not an easy score, but he felt he should stay close to the ship that night, though he wasn’t really sure why. Broonmark had ventured off to hunt, never content to sit idle long, assuring them he’d meet up with them by the time they made it to Corellia “to claim victory for Sith clan.” That had left him with Vette and Wrath, and the two women had spent most of the evening quietly watching holovids in the lounge, sharing a bottle of Tarisian wine. Pierce sat to the side, cleaning his rifle and nursing a large mug of Corellian ale. Torilya had retired early, leaving her glass of wine half-finished. Vette had looked at Pierce, shrugged, and tossed back the leftovers before wandering somewhat unsteadily to her bunk.

Pierce was snapped out of his musings by a muffled thud. He was alert in an instant, sitting up in his bunk and placing a hand on the sidearm that was always under his pillow. Another thud brought him to his feet at the door to his quarters. After one more, he silently slid the door open and crept out into the corridor, making his way toward the airlock first before realizing that the sound was actually coming from the cargo hold. When he got to the doorway, he was taken aback at the sight before him -- Torilya, in sleep pants and a thin camisole, had just demolished all three training dummies in the hold with her lightsaber, and was posed in a defensive stance among the pieces, the deep orange blade casting an eerie light on her face in the dark hold. As Pierce hesitated in the doorway, not sure whether he should speak to her, she suddenly flung her lightsaber aside and leapt at the head of one of the dummies that had rolled to the far corner of the hold. She kicked at it viciously, sending it bouncing off the wall and flying straight at Pierce, who snatched it out of the air instinctively. Only then did his presence seem to register to her.

“I am sorry, Lieutenant, if I woke you,” she spat, her eyes flashing. “I could not sleep and thought I would do some” -- her voice faltered as she looked around, seeming to notice the destruction for the first time -- “training,” she finished, her shoulders sinking a bit as she kept her gaze at the floor.

Pierce did not respond immediately, unsure of how to proceed. He had never seen his lord look defeated, and seeing her before him like this, barely contained, he was unnerved.

“I couldn’t sleep either, m’lord,” the usual honorific slipping out before he caught himself. _Bollocks!_ he cursed himself inwardly, grimacing.

Torilya’s head snapped up.

“I told you not to call me that any longer!” she growled. Her eyes were wild again, almost glowing. “Do you not understand? I do NOT want to hear that… that…” she trailed off, her voice once again cracking.

Pierce found himself dropping the dummy’s head that he still held and stepping toward her instinctively, though he didn’t know to what end. To let her strike him? To comfort her? He began to sink as if to come to a knee before her, but she caught his arm roughly, her hand barely large enough to cup the underside of his massive elbow.

“Gods damn it, Pierce, don’t grovel! It isn’t fitting of an Imperial officer!” Torilya all but shrieked, her voice becoming shrill now. He looked down at her hand on his arm, noticing the knuckles ripped open and bleeding.

“If you want to punch things, you at least ought to let me tape your hands properly for you,” he surprised himself by saying.

She blinked at him, clearly taken aback. He boldly stared into her eyes, figuring he was probably already screwed, so why not? He reached for her other hand, flipping it in his to examine the knuckles there.

“Come on. We’ve enough crap in the medbay to last us a year, thanks to Vette. I’m sure we can find some tape in there,” he said, starting to back out into the corridor, her hand still trapped in his. Suddenly, she yanked it back with enough force to pull him off balance, ducking as she flipped him over her shoulder and onto his back.

“Don’t tell me I caught you unawares, Lieutenant,” she jeered, her expression unreadable. Pierce recovered quickly, despite having lost his breath momentarily.

She wants to rumble, we’ll rumble, he thought, scrambling to his feet and sliding into a crouch as he pulled his sidearm from where he’d tucked it into the waistband of his sleep pants, casting it out into the corridor. She charged him, dropping her shoulder and catching him at the waist. He stumbled back a step; though she was lithe and relatively petite compared to him, she was still a better match for him than most of the men in his last command. Whether that was to do with the Force, sheer will, or just pure strength he wasn’t sure, but something told Pierce that now was not the time to hold back. She wanted no favors. He shifted his weight and countered her attack, putting her off-balance in turn. They tussled for what seemed like hours, not speaking, neither really landing blows, but neither giving ground, either. He watched her face; her eyes were unfocused, her brow drawn. Whatever was driving her, it wasn’t in the room, but Pierce was happy to give her an outlet in one of the few ways he knew how.

Finally, they dropped to their backs on the floor, breathing hard and sweating. Pierce said nothing, but waited to take his cue from her. After a few minutes, she spoke.

“I cannot remember the last time I was able to just spar with someone for the sake of sparring. Training with Jaesa is so damned exhausting; she’s so undisciplined and bloodthirsty that I have to constantly work to keep her controlled,” Torilya rolled her eyes as she mentioned her apprentice.

“I can imagine,” Pierce snorted. He certainly appreciated Jaesa’s physical attributes, but he had to admit that the girl was just a little too unhinged for his liking, not that he’d toss her out of bed if it came to that. “Don’t know if she’d rather screw you or disembowel you,” he’d once commented to Quinn after an outing with the crew some months back. Quinn, of course, had said something stuffy and changed the subject. _Bloody ponce_.

“You’d think we’d have woken the whole ship. It always amazes me how soundly Vette can sleep.” Torilya almost seemed to be rambling now, her breath still ragged. “She’s useless on watch rotations. Falls asleep at the drop of a hat and nothing wakes her. Quinn says--” she cut off abruptly, sitting up and reaching up to rub the back of her neck, her back to Pierce now.

Pierce stopped breathing for a moment. He wanted to ask about what had happened, though he knew it obviously was not good. Quinn and the Wrath had been getting very close in recent months; many times in recent weeks Pierce had caught Quinn creeping out of her quarters early in the mornings. He knew it was more than just a physical relationship, though he wasn’t sure just how deep it truly ran. He was pretty sure he was getting an answer now.

“If there’s -- “ he started, then went quiet as he saw her shoulders tense. They sat in silence for a moment more. Just as Pierce was starting to wonder what he should do, she let out a shuddering breath and began to speak.

She told him about Quinn’s betrayal, of their relationship, of how just weeks before the incident he’d declared his love. She told him of her uncertainty regarding his motives and just how deeply Baras was involved in manipulating him, of her uncertainty that she’d ever be able to trust him again, either on her crew or as her lover. And then, almost in a whisper, she spoke -- more to the floor now than to Pierce -- of how she felt like a failure as a Sith and a woman.

“Vette knows, too,” she told him, “but I don’t know how much I’ll tell the others. Broonmark would probably just rip his limbs off and make him eat them, and Jaesa will either kill him or seduce him,” she laughed bitterly. “If the story gets out, the fact that I let him live will undermine my authority as Wrath, but I suppose I shall just have to be fearsome enough to make up for it.”

Her bravado had started to rebuild, but Pierce could tell her grasp on it was tenuous. He waited a moment, to see if she had more to say, but she seemed to retreat back into her thoughts. He decided to blunder ahead.

“Permission to speak freely, Wrath,” he barked, his nerves causing him to default to military protocol.

“You know you need not ask,” she said coolly, still not turning to look at him.

“Quinn is a stupid arsehole,” he blurted. She inhaled sharply, but he barged ahead. “I don’t pretend for a moment to understand Sith politics or headgames, but Baras or no, do not let that little git make you feel like less of a warrior,” he paused to take a deep breath, wondering if what he was about to say was totally foolish, “or a woman,” he finished, letting his hand come up to rest between her shoulder blades from where he still lay on the floor. She flinched at his touch, but did not pull away.

They sat like that for a long moment, Torilya gradually letting her weight sink into his palm a little. He sat up, then carefully began to run his thumbs along the sides of her spine and up her neck, trying to help release some of the obvious tension there. He had no idea exactly what he meant to accomplish -- he was rubbish at this emotional crisis stuff -- but he knew that he could not stand to see his lord and friend in this fragile state. She let out a long breath and rolled her head from side to side, clearly trying to will herself to relax. Tentatively, Pierce reached up to the metal clasp that held her hair atop her head in its usual messy coil. When she did not protest, he unfastened it, letting her thick black hair tumble down below her shoulders. He awkwardly began to comb his fingers through it, first at the ends, then at the scalp. She leaned into his touch a little more, and just as he began to ponder what he was supposed to do next, she suddenly spun around on her hip and up onto her knees to straddle his lap, gripping his shoulders tightly and wrapping her legs around his hips. He stilled -- well, _most_ of him stilled, his thin sleep pants doing him no favors in this situation -- and waited a beat before looking into her face. She was looking back at him intensely now, but her expression was still hard to read.

“Your body wants me,” she said, as neutrally as she might state that water is wet.

He swallowed hard. “It’s not dead. No way not to notice you’re a damn sexy woman.”

She kept staring at him, leaning in to press her chest to his. “I once told you serving me could be very rewarding. Did you ever consider what that might come to mean?”

_Bloody hell. No way to answer this one right._


	2. Chapter 2

Pierce hesitated only a moment, then decided to just follow his instincts. He brought his hands up to grip her hips roughly.

“I would be more than happy to spend the rest of the night giving you the ride of your life, if that’s what you want. You want a distraction, a way to disconnect for a while, fine. Sure as hell not gonna complain. But I won’t be your pawn in some game to get back at Quinn. ‘S not my way. I can’t stand the bastard, but if I’m going to do something about it, it’ll be with his eyes wide open and looking at me,” he growled before delivering a sharp nip to her ear.

For the first time in days, she rewarded him with her trademark smirk. “That’s why we work so well together, Lieutenant. Neither of us are really fit for Sith politics.”

With that, Pierce rose to his feet, her legs remaining wrapped around him, and made his way into the corridor.

“Your quarters. Not mine,” she said sharply.

“Understood.”

* * *

Vette overslept the next morning; she never recovered quickly from overindulging -- not that it took much for her to overdo it. She shuffled to the galley in search of caff, finding Too-Vee in there with some already prepared.

“Good morning, Mistress Vette! I have taken the liberty of repairing the training equipment and cleaning the cargo hold, and I have returned the Lieutenant’s sidearm to the weapons storage. Do you require sustenance? Or perhaps I should --”

“Switch off, would you?” Vette grumbled, holding her forehead as she snatched the steaming mug from the droid. “And what’s the deal with the cargo hold and Pierce’s blaster? Did something happen?”

“Based on my conjecture, it appears that either Master Tisonne was training vigorously last night or there was a struggle of some sort, but when I inquired if all was well this morning, I was ordered to ‘stuff it,’ which I could only take to mean that she wished me to cease my --”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it,” Vette cut him off. “Where is Tori now?”

“She is on the bridge. Shall I --”

“No, just relax, Too-Vee. Go power down or something.” Vette poured a second mug of caff and made her way to the bridge. She found Torilya sitting with her feet propped on the map console, staring out into space. Vette held out one of the mugs.

“How’s it going, my lord?” she said as chirpily as she could muster given her headache.

Torilya accepted the mug and took a sip. “I suppose there’s no use reminding you that I asked you not to call me that any longer,” she said dryly.

“Yeah… what’s up with that? I mean, yeah, you’re the Wrath and that’s all impressive and scary and stuff, but you’re usually not one to get hung up on protocol, you know? And don’t tell me it’s because you give a damn about what the Council thinks, because I know you better than that.”

Torilya was quiet for a moment. “Quinn had a way of saying it that made it almost sound like an endearment. I do not wish to be reminded of that just now,” she admitted.

“Oh! oh, sure,no sweat!” Vette babbled. “But you really don’t expect me to call you ‘Wrath’ when we’re not in front of other people, do you? ‘Cause I’m pretty sure I can’t do it without rolling my eyes.” Vette plopped herself onto the map console next to Torilya’s booted feet. “And what the heck happened in the cargo hold last night? Too-Vee was short-circuiting about cleaning up and repairing and who knows what this morning.”

“I got a bit carried away training, it would seem. Then Pierce joined me for a while. Apparently he couldn’t sleep either.”

“You’re still not sleeping?” Vette looked at her friend sharply. “It’s been a week, Tori. Even Sith need to sleep.”

“I got a bit last night. Pierce managed to wear me out,” Torilya said evenly.

“Well, that’s great, but it’s not enough. You need to rest. We need to get to Corellia soon so we can finish this.”

Quickly realizing that Torilya was not going to say anything further on the matter, Vette turned her attention to her mug. They sat in silence for a while before Vette spoke again.

“I’m starving. Want me to get you some breakfast?”

A slow smile spread across Torilya’s face before she broke into a fit of laughter. After a moment, Vette sighed.

“And what, O Hysterical One, is the joke here?”

Torilya hiccuped a bit before replying, “I just distinctly remember a certain little feisty Twi’lek telling me she was in no way up for any domestic duties, and here you are foisting food upon me at every turn and clucking at me to sleep like a little mother hen.”

Childishly, Vette stuck her tongue out at Tori as she flounced off the bridge to the galley.

* * *

It was nearly mid-day by the ship’s clock when Pierce finally dragged himself out of his bunk. He stood in his quarters, carefully stretching his sore muscles, then headed to the refresher to clean up. As he stepped out of his quarters, he saw Torilya coming toward him, a neutral expression on her face.

“Lieutenant, a word please, if you have a moment,” she said, nodding toward his quarters.

“‘Course, m’l-- er, Wrath,” he replied, stepping back through his door. She followed him in, latching the door quietly behind her.  

“Pierce, I’ve been a bit absurd about this whole ‘Wrath’ thing. It is still appropriate when we are in the presence of others, but when we are on the ship, please call me Torilya.” She paused as he nodded. “Also, I just wanted to convey my gratitude for your company last night, both in the cargo hold and in this room. Though you rightly described it as a distraction, I feel stronger, more centered today. I have you to thank for that. I don’t believe any other, erm, _distraction_ would have had the same effect.”

With that, she stood on her toes and placed a chaste kiss on his stubbly cheek. Pierce floundered for a moment before clearing his throat.

“Anytime, Torilya. I’ve got your back,” he said gruffly.

For the second time that morning, she found herself laughing. Pierce raised an eyebrow at her quizzically. She smirked at him.

“Yes, Pierce, I believe you did.” She gave him a saucy grin before stepping back toward the door.

“Satisfied, then?” he tossed back at her, unable to resist.

Torilya just smirked at him again before turning to walk back out to the lounge. He watched her go, taking a little extra time to appreciate the sway of her hips before shaking his head and making his way to the refresher. Just as he stepped in, he heard her tell Vette to try raising Jaesa and Broonmark on the holo.

“We’re ready,” she said. “It’s time we get going.”

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

By evening, Jaesa had made her way back to the ship, and Vette had managed to get in touch with Broonmark, who was to rendezvous with them when they arrived at Corellia. Jaesa disappeared to her quarters to sleep off the effects of her long night out -- Torilya didn’t care to think too much about what that might have entailed -- so after a quiet dinner with Vette and Pierce, Torilya made certain the ship’s course was appropriately plotted and retired to her quarters. She put on a pair of stretchy pants and a soft, sleeveless top, then spent some time in meditation, something she hadn’t been successful in doing since the transponder station. When she finished, she moved to the private holoterminal next to her bed. Taking a few more deep breaths, she steeled herself and placed a call.

* * *

Quinn had spent nearly a week traveling, and it showed. His normally impeccable uniform had been traded for a long, beaten-up leatheris duster and a crumpled fedora, and his trademark 5 o’clock shadow had morphed into the beginnings of a full-fledged beard. Fatigue and heavy spirits caused his normally ramrod-straight posture to falter. To the casual observer, he looked far more like a freighter captain of questionable repute than an Imperial officer. He’d taken a transport to Tatooine and spent a couple of days holed up in a cantina there, then once he’d secured a small cargo ship, made a series of stops -- first Balmorra, then Hoth, then finally Nar Shaddaa, where he was currently docked. He knew trying to hide himself for too long was pointless, but he hoped the chaos of Nar Shaddaa would afford him enough anonymity to get by for a while - long enough, anyway.

He stretched out atop the flimsy mattress on the so-called bed in the captain’s quarters of the ship -- he refused to think of it as his -- and tried to rest. His medic’s training told him he was running dangerously close to total exhaustion, and he knew he needed to stay sharp. Every time he closed his eyes, though, he saw Torilya’s face as it loomed over him on the transponder station after she’d thrown him into the wall and choked him. He’d watched her beautiful eyes change, seen the pallor come over her face, and something inside him had broken when she refused to kill him. She had him dead to rights, and that was the only way it could possibly end -- and yet his lord had surprised him to the last. Not a typical Sith, indeed, he thought, the nausea that had been his constant companion for the last week rising again.

His holo chirped, pulling him back to the moment. He rose to answer it, scrubbing his hand over his face and attempting to collect himself. The image took several seconds to fully resolve, but eventually the face of a sandy-haired woman became clear.

“Malavai, I’m here,” she said, looking over her shoulder as she spoke. “Are you certain this is wise?”

“No, but it’s the best we can do for the moment,” he responded. “Stay alert. I’ll come to you shortly.”

“All right.” There was a muffled uproar behind the woman, and she flinched. “Please hurry.”

“I’m on my way. Remember what we discussed.”

Disconnecting the call, Quinn hurriedly pulled on his boots and holster, ensuring his blaster and vibroknife were properly secured and ready, then tucked two spare knives and a couple of syringes into hidden pockets in his duster. A compact emergency medic’s kit went into a pouch on the back of his belt. One more small knife went into his left boot, a personal holo unit into a pocket, and then he was making his way off the ship, his fedora pulled down tightly over his forehead. Before he made it to the airlock lift, the holo in his pocket beeped. He pulled it out and answered it, his heart hammering wildly in his chest.

“Captain,” Torilya greeted him brusquely. “You are advised that the Fury and her crew are en route to Corellia. Our mission objective remains unchanged. Should I require your assistance, you will be notified directly either by myself or my second-in-command, Lieutenant Pierce. Maintain radio silence unless otherwise instructed. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, m-” Quinn faltered for a moment, then cleared his throat. “Yes, sir.”

“Do you have anything to report? Need-to-know only, Captain.”

“No, sir.” Quinn forced himself to remain collected.

“Very well. Wrath out.” She disconnected the call.

Sliding the comm back into his pocket, Quinn swallowed hard against the bile rising again in his throat. Remembering the woman waiting for him on the surface, he shook his head frantically for a brief moment as if to shake something loose, then made his way out of the airlock and to the spaceport taxi.

* * *

On the Fury, Torilya sat down shakily on her bed. She took deep breaths until her heart rate slowed and her hands stilled, then stood abruptly and strode out of her quarters. Vette and Pierce were still in the lounge, evidently taking turns hustling Too-Vee at sabacc. Vette looked up from her hand on hearing Torilya enter.

“Want in? We’re playing for the last of the stash of that amazing candy I got on Alderaan.” Vette shook the box at her enticingly.

Torilya grinned. “Hardly. You two shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near the same table.”

Vette shrugged. “Suit yourself,” she said, turning her attention back to her cards.

Torilya watched as Vette efficiently wiped the floor with Too-Vee, then turned her sights on Pierce. “Come on, Lieutenant, let’s see what you’ve got.” Too-Vee, perhaps sensing an opportunity to escape, began rambling something about more cushioning for the seats and tottered off.

“Actually, I’d hoped to steal Pierce for a moment,” Torilya broke in.

Vette raised an eyebrow, but made a “be my guest” gesture. Pierce started to rise, but Torilya stopped him. “No need to disturb your game, I just needed your assistance for a moment,” she said, holding up the roll of tape she’d grabbed from the medbay. Vette gasped and flew out of her seat to Tori’s side.

“What happened? Are you injured? How did you manage to--” Torilya placed a firm hand on Vette’s shoulder and pushed her back into her seat, Pierce taking the roll of tape and smiling wanly at Tori as she did so.

“I’m fine, Vette. Take it down a notch,” she said, giving the girl a gentle tweak to a lek. “You’ve been spending too much time with Too-Vee.”

Vette, ever mature, flipped a rude gesture at Torilya, who rolled her eyes as she held out her hands to Pierce. He taped them securely, giving her fingers a light squeeze as he finished.

“Want some company?” he asked her, looking carefully at her face.

“If you like. I’ll be in the hold. Not to worry, I left my saber in my quarters.” She grinned at him, looking as sheepish as a Sith Lord possibly can.

Returning her smile, he stood. “I’ll change and be right there,” he told her, gesturing at his heavy boots and street clothes.

Torilya nodded at him, then turned and walked toward the cargo hold.

“Fine by me!” Vette called after them both. “Guess that means I win!” She brandished the box of treats above her head, then tossed one at Pierce’s departing back.

* * *

A few moments later, Pierce found Torilya working through some punch combinations on one of the dummies to warm up. She tossed him a quick, tight grin, and he could see the tension hovering just under the surface in her eyes.

“All right?” he asked simply.

She shrugged as she continued to pummel the dummy. “Figured I’d heed your advice, is all.”

“Sparring, then?”

“Yes. But only sparring, this time,” she said, looking at him somewhat apologetically. She finished her combination and stood before him, arms hanging loosely at her sides.

He looked her in eyes as he responded simply, “I’ve got your back.”

She nodded once, her lips tight. He stepped forward to drop a friendly kiss on her forehead, then sank into a crouch with a feral grin. “Bring it, then,” he taunted, his fingers making a “come at me” gesture.

She gave him a grateful smile, then crouched and sprang, her eyes flashing.

Once again, they sparred to the point of exhaustion, Pierce monitoring Tori’s face periodically. Her eyes were once again unfocused, but she wasn’t teetering on the edge of control this time. Her movements were more precise, her energy still intense but carefully restrained. This was more like the Sith Lord he’d come to know in combat. Finally, she overpowered him, landing him on his back and pinning him with a knee to his chest, her hand at his throat. She looked down at him and her eyes seemed to snap back into focus; rising quickly, she offered him a hand and brought them both to a sitting position facing each other on the floor. They sat in silence, both too winded to speak. After a few minutes, Torilya got up and went to the galley, returning with a large canteen full of cold water. She sat back down next to Pierce, who had moved to lean against a wall, as she offered it to him. He took a long drink, then gave it back to her. She drank, then leaned her head back against the wall. Still not speaking, they passed the canteen back and forth, just listening to the sounds of the ship.

The racket in the hold had pulled Jaesa out of her stupor. She reached out with the Force and felt a muddled jumble of emotions, but sensed no real danger. Rolling over, she tried to go back to sleep. She gave up after a few minutes and hauled herself out of bed and to the galley, catching sight of Pierce and Tori leaning against the wall in the hold as she passed. Vette was flipping through holovids in the lounge, munching on candy. Jaesa got herself a cup of caff and sat next to Vette, swiping a handful of treats as she sat.

“Sure, help yourself,” Vette said sarcastically.

“Don’t mind if I do,” Jaesa intoned calmly. She took a drag of her caff, then said casually, “So, were they fighting or screwing in there?”

Vette sat up sharply. “What the hell, Jaesa? Jealous?”

Jaesa’s laugh was slightly chilling. “Nah. Got plenty of both last night, thanks. You should have come along, broadened your horizons a bit.” She cut her eyes over to Vette, then trailed a finger down Vette’s forearm. “You might surprise yourself,” she said coyly.

Vette yanked her arm away. “God, you are creepy,” she muttered.

Jaesa laughed again. “Whatever you say. I am a bit surprised that she went to him for whatever the hell they were doing. If she wanted a good fight, she should have woken me up.”

Vette snorted. “She’d snap you like a twig. Pierce can at least sort of keep up with her if there’s no Force use involved.”

The box of candy suddenly flew out of Vette’s lap and into Jaesa’s hand. “Shut your mouth, child,” Jaesa spat. “You have no idea what I’m capable of.”

Standing quietly, Vette walked over to the galley and got herself a glass of water. Jaesa was absorbed in selecting a treat from the box when the mug in her other hand suddenly shattered, sending hot caff pouring onto her robes. With an indignant shriek, Jaesa shot to her feet, flinging the box aside. Vette was calmly tucking a small holdout blaster back into her waistband as she walked out of the room.

“Don’t call me ‘child,’ you psycho bitch.”

Pierce started to stand when he heard the ruckus in the lounge, but Torilya stopped him.

“Let it go. No one’s hurt.”

He shrugged and leaned against the wall again as Too-Vee whirred by with cleaning supplies, blathering away to himself.

“Reckon we ought to turn in, then,” Pierce said. “Should be ready to dock tomorrow, yeah?”

Torilya nodded slowly, but said nothing. He looked at her for a moment, then stood up and extended his hand to help her to her feet. She took it and looked at him questioningly.

“Go get yourself ready for bed then meet me in the lounge. ‘S an order,” he said with a wink. She opened her mouth as if to protest, then just shook her head and went to do as she was told.

When she entered the lounge a little while later, Pierce was already in there, dressed for bed himself, with a stack of pillows and blankets ready on the sofa. He’d pulled one of the lounge chairs around to face one end of the sofa, and had a steaming mug of something in his hand. He held it out to her, chuckling at her expression.

“Just herbal tea. Thought it might help you relax a bit,” he said.

She accepted the mug and took a careful sip. “Thank you. That’s actually quite good,” she said, not totally able to keep the surprise out of her voice.

“My mum’s blend,” he explained simply. “Keep a stash on hand when I can.”

She nodded, sipping again. He settled himself on an end of the sofa, propping his feet on the chair and tossing one of the blankets over his lap. She met his eyes, and he thumped the seat next to him.

“C’mon, get comfy,” he prodded. “Got a bunch of stupid vids queued up. Nothing but the basest of humor.”

Her eyes softened a bit and she gave him a real smile, finally catching on. She sat next to him, tucking her feet under her. He started the first vid, and they watched in companionable silence save for the occasional chuckle. Once she finished her tea, he gently took the mug from her and set it on an end table. He grabbed one of the pillows he’d brought in, tucked it next to his hip, and gently but firmly pushed her down by the shoulder until she was lying down, her head not quite in his lap. He covered her with one of the blankets, then turned his attention back to the holovid, leaving his hand resting lightly on her shoulder.

Somewhere in the middle of the third vid, he realized her breathing had evened out and she was at least dozing. Lowering the volume, he let his head drop back against the sofa and closed his eyes, too.

* * *

While the occupants of the Fury wound down for the evening, Quinn wound his way through one of the seedier areas of Nar Shaddaa to a small cantina. Trying not to wrinkle his nose visibly at the stench, he made his way to the bar, where the woman who had called earlier was perched on a stool, looking very much like she was trying hard not to touch more of the cantina’s surfaces than she absolutely must. Quinn sidled up behind her and slid an arm around her waist, and she stiffened instantly..

“It’s just me, Melia,” he bent his head to murmur in her ear. “Relax.”

She let out a sigh and turned to look at him. “Wow, the holo didn’t do you justice. You look like utter hell.”

“It’s been a difficult week. Well, difficult many weeks.” Quinn clenched his jaw.

Melia reached up and gently laid a hand on one side of his face. “What’s the plan here? I don’t like this place, and I --”

Quinn cut her off with a quick finger to her lips, gesturing to the bartender as he did so. “I am buying you a drink. In a few moments, you will succumb to my advances and we will make our way out of here.”

She rolled her eyes at him. “Please tell me that isn’t how you wooed your Sith Lord. No wonder she tossed you out.”

Quinn turned his head quickly to slip the bartender a credit stick for the drinks that had appeared by his elbow, but not before Melia saw the flash of pain in his eyes.

“Sorry,” she said softly. He didn’t respond for a moment, focusing his attention on the drinks that he was surreptitiously scanning with a tiny device he concealed in his sleeve. He handed her one, then raised his glass to toast her.

“Your good health,” he said, then drained his glass in one movement. She sipped at hers cautiously.

“You can’t think you’re being watched here already?” she asked, leaning into him.

“No. But I cannot take any chances. Nor can you. Now laugh, please.”

She managed a weak laugh that she hoped passed for flirtatious. Quinn responded with a grin that he hoped didn’t look forced to anyone walking by. They sat a moment more, Melia sipping at her drink, then Quinn bent to whisper in her ear once again.

“All right. Follow my lead.” She nodded up at him.

He pulled her off her barstool and wound her arm through his elbow. As they walked toward the exit, he took her chin in his hand and turned her face to look at him.

“Keep your eyes open,” he said.

A tense walk and taxi ride later, they were entering the airlock where the little cargo ship was docked. Quinn keyed the security code and ushered her onto the ship before him, then turned and reset the codes, locking them in.

“Welcome to your new home, albeit hopefully temporarily,” he said.

“Charming,” she answered dryly.

He led her to the tiny lounge, which doubled as the galley, and sat in one of the ratty chairs, gesturing at her to do the same. She studied his face for a moment.

“You know, now I think I see why Mother was so insistent that you never grow a beard. It really doesn’t suit you.”

When he didn’t respond, she sighed heavily.

“We’re here now. Are you going to talk?”

“What in particular do you want to know?” he asked. “I thought you understood why this needed to happen.”

“Yeah. Angry Sith -- one of whom should’ve killed you but didn’t, the other won’t hesitate to, but not until he’s certain you’ve been sufficiently punished, though I still don’t quite understand for what -- vengeance, retribution, blah, blah, blah. But Malavai -- what _happened_?”

He dropped his head into his hands.

“I am still struggling to fully grasp that myself.”

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

Torilya woke to a strange rattling sensation near her head coupled with an ungodly noise. She sat up; a bit disoriented, it took her a moment to realize she wasn’t in her quarters. Another sound startled her back to full awareness, and she turned to see Pierce sound asleep, head tilted back over the edge of the sofa, mouth hanging open, snoring more loudly than Tori thought possible of a human. Stifling a laugh, she leaned over and nudged him with her elbow. He snorfled and swatted at her, but didn’t seem to wake. Unable to stop the giggles now, she poked him hard in the ribcage.

“Oi!” he shouted, sitting upright. “What the --”

“Morning, Lieutenant. Sleep well?”

He turned to see her grinning at him cheekily.

“Might’ve done, if someone hadn’t hogged the whole sofa,” he retorted, grinning back.

She punched him lightly in the shoulder, then stood up and stretched.

“We must be near docking,” she said. “I’ll head to the bridge and check our status. Put on the caff, will you?”

“Aye, sir,” he said through a massive yawn, hauling himself to his feet.

Torilya padded to the bridge to find they were within an hour of docking. She sent TooVee to rouse the others, then went to dress for the day. Her more traditional robes were packed away in storage; she’d replaced them before they left Vaiken with something she felt better suited her. She got herself into the tightly-fitting black ensemble, tucking her gloves into her belt to put on later, then stepped to her small mirror to secure her hair back in its usual coil. Her reflection made her pause for a moment, but she shook her head slightly, finished fastening her hair, and stepped back out of her quarters. When she reached the galley, she found the whole crew assembled, suited up, and being served breakfast by TooVee.

“Morning, Your Most Wrathfulness,” Vette chirped, waving a slice of toast at her from where she leaned on the galley bar. Pierce silently pushed out a chair for her and set a mug of caff next to her waiting plate. Jaesa said nothing from where she slouched folded into an armchair with a mug, her usual morning surliness amplified by her residual irritation with Vette. Tori sat and began sipping her caff.

“What’s the plan?” Pierce asked, all business now that he was in uniform.

“Once we dock, we should hear from the Hand. See where they point us, then Vette and I will head to the surface and start tracking these assassins. You and Jaesa will stay on the ship for now and monitor communications. Any additional chatter you can pick up, all the better. I don’t think the Hand is misleading us, but I want all bases covered.” Torilya looked in his eyes with her last statement, her expression hard.

“I’m on it,” he said quickly, nodding once at her. “Can count on me.”

“I know, Lieutenant,” she returned his nod. “Have Jaesa help you interpret if you catch anything that sounds remotely hinky, regardless of the source.”

“Understood.”

Torilya turned to Jaesa who, predictably, was visibly sulking at being left behind.

“Do you have something to say, apprentice?” Torilya spoke sharply.

“Would it make a difference, Master?” Jaesa sniped from behind her mug.

Torilya made a fast, small gesture with her hand. Jaesa’s mug flew from her grasp, eliciting a shrill protest from the girl.

“I didn’t quite catch that,” Torilya snarled.

Jaesa looked at her, somewhat abashed. “Sorry, Master; I can’t seem to finish a mug of caff without incident these days,” she said, tossing a glare at Vette.

“Let me take a moment to make something clear to all of you.” Torilya stood as she spoke. “We have a mission to accomplish, and I will not be sidetracked by any petty squabbling, personal hangups, temper tantrums, or any other assorted bantha shit. I am not the sort of Sith who thrives on drama, nor am I the sort who generally relishes wasting time on punishment for punishment’s sake, but let me assure you that until my mission is complete, I will not hesitate to deal with your problems for you in any way I see fit without stopping to ask questions. Am I clear?”

“Crystal,” said Vette, looking a bit stunned.

Pierce just looked at her and nodded, resisting the urge to salute.

Torilya turned to stare at Jaesa, who had started laughing.

“Bit rich, isn’t it?” she chortled. “Talk about personal hangups and temper tantrums. Look in the mirror, lately, Master?”

Pierce shot out of his chair so fast that it fell over, but Torilya was already to Jaesa before he could move any farther. Vette gasped, her hand flying to cover her mouth, as the sound of Torilya striking Jaesa hard across the face echoed in the small room. She hauled Jaesa to her feet, holding her just off the ground by the front of her robes.

“You. Understand. Nothing,” she hissed, her nose nearly touching Jaesa’s. She released Jaesa’s robes, letting the girl drop back to her feet, then stepped back. “I will ask you one more time. Am I clear?”

“Yes, Master,” Jaesa responded, her chin lifted defiantly.

Torilya stepped back. The room was silent for a moment until TooVee tottered in.

“Master, you asked me to notify you when we were within fifteen minutes of docking. By my calculations, we will arrive in fourteen minutes, fifty-two--”

“Yes, TooVee, thank you. See that my gear as well as Vette’s is packed and ready.”

“Of course, Master. Do you require--”

“TooVee.”

“Yes, Master.” The droid left the room, surprisingly without further commentary.

* * *

Aboard the little cargo ship, Quinn fought with the temperamental caff brewer, his eyes bleary. He’d managed a couple hours of fitful sleep, but it hadn’t been nearly enough. His grumbling grew gradually louder until he yanked the filter basket out with too much force, splintering a piece of it off, at which he cursed loudly and hurled the thing across the tiny galley. Melia came in at that, raising an eyebrow at the scene.

“You know, they work better when they’re not in pieces,” she remarked mildly.

“You never were as funny as you thought.”

Melia stooped to pick up the filter basket and silently held out her hand for the broken shard. He handed it to her, and she examined it for a moment.

“Never fear, little brother, I’ll clean up your mess. Go get cleaned up. Maybe even shave.”

He mumbled something unintelligible and stalked out of the room.

By the time he’d cleaned up -- though still sporting the beard -- Melia had somehow managed to get the caff machine reassembled and had a mug waiting for him. She pointed to a chair, and after he sat, handed him the caff. She sat in the chair facing him and sipped from her own mug.

“The sulky teenager routine didn’t work for you when you were an actual teenager, Malavai, and it looks no better on you now.”

“How should I act, then?” he lashed out. “I’m stuck mindlessly wandering the galaxy trapped in this ship like a caged beast, my so-called boss no doubt wants me dead or tortured, and the woman I love--” he cut himself off.

“Spit it out, Malavai.”

He drained his mug, then stood and began pacing.

“I could take it if she wanted me dead,” he said quietly. “I would understand. It’d be no less than what I deserve. It’d be no less than what I expected. I was weak, and she despises weakness. I despise it. Most of all in myself. But instead she spared me. And why? Out of pity? To make me suffer while waiting for the inevitable, brimming with false hope that she spared me out of…” he swallowed hard.

“Say it.”

“Love,” he whispered.

“She’s Sith, Malavai. _Can_ she love?”

“I had begun to convince myself that perhaps she could -- that perhaps she could even love me. She’s unlike any other Sith I’ve known. She can be ruthless, yes. Cunning, shrewd. Extraordinarily powerful. But somehow, at the same time, she cares. She’s adopted an annoying little Twi’lek as a surrogate younger sibling. She takes the time to try to mentor -- and so patiently! -- an apprentice who, albeit powerful, borders on insane and behaves much of the time like a spoiled toddler with an odd penchant for bloodshed. She has a sense of humor, doesn’t behave as if she’s above the rest of us. She is… wholly unique.” His voice faltered as he remembered the last time he used such a phrase to describe his lord, but he continued pacing.

“That’s all very nice, and she sounds like a perfectly… er, lovely Sith. It’s not adding up for me, though. If she is all that, and you felt -- feel -- for her as you say, then I don’t understand how you ended up in the situation you’re in. Is this Baras character really all that terrifying? Did you not believe she could protect you? Or are you really so entrenched in some misguided ideal of patriotism that you thought you were doing the right thing?”

“It’s a bit of all of that, and more, I think. I don’t know -- I always felt like I was thinking clearly when I spoke with Baras, and clearer still when I spoke to my lord. And yet, sometimes, when I was alone or occupied with other business, things would become… muddled.”

Quinn raked his hands through his hair, and his steps suddenly started to become slower and a bit uneven. He stopped, swaying slightly on his feet, and looked at his mug.

“You put a sedative in this, didn’t you?”

Melia didn’t answer, but stood and grabbed him by the elbow. She walked him to his quarters and deposited him on his bed. As she pulled off his boots, the sedative took full effect and Quinn began breathing deeply and evenly. She tossed a light blanket over him and flipped off his light.

“Sleep tight, little brother.”


	5. Chapter 5

Torilya checked her belt for her gloves for the fifth time in a quarter hour, her right leg bouncing uncontrollably. Nervous fidgeting wasn’t typically her style, but she couldn’t seem to keep still. Pierce had just gained clearance for them to dock at Corellia; she knew the Hand would have the information for them that would start her on her last steps toward freedom of Baras within moments. She sat fiddling with the last of a cup of caff at the galley bar; Vette had insisted she “take a load off” while the Twi’lek oversaw TooVee’s last checks of their gear. She didn’t relish the thought of leaving Pierce and Jaesa behind, but she knew it had to be done -- she couldn’t afford the distraction of handling Jaesa planetside, and Pierce was the only one she trusted to keep her apprentice in check as well as keep an ear open for scuttlebutt via comm. It would be good to have Vette at her side on the field again, she mused; though Vette didn’t have the medic’s training and eye for strategy that she’d come to value in the Captain, the two of them had always worked well together -- and usually managed to have a good time doing it, she thought with a small smile.

“Tori,” Pierce’s gruff voice broke into her thoughts. “We’ve docked. Broonmark should be aboard within the hour.”

He looked over his shoulder, clearly making sure they were alone, before stepping over to her. Taking her chin in his broad hand, he tilted it up so that she was looking at him. He looked at her quietly for a moment before speaking.

“Hate that I won’t be at your side, but I get why.”

She turned her face into his palm for a brief second, uncharacteristically allowing herself to be comforted.

“I know. I do, too. But I need you here. I need to know that someone I trust is watching my back. Vette can do that in the field, but I don’t trust her not to get wrapped up in her squabbling with Jaesa and--”

Pierce shushed her. “I get it; I do. Not just putting on a brave face,” he grinned at her before going somber again.

“You’ve got this. And I’ve got you.” He pulled her up into a quick embrace, dropping a brief kiss on her closed lips before turning her round and swatting her smartly on the rear.

“Now go get ‘em,” he said as the holoterminal chimed from the other room.

“You know, most people are smart enough to be afraid of looking a Sith Lord in the eye, much less smacking one on the arse, Pierce.”

“Never claimed to be a smart man. And it’s a damn fine arse.”

She rolled her eyes at him over her shoulder as she walked towards the holoterminal, pulling her hood over her head as she went.

* * *

Melia fixed herself another cup of caff, then settled herself at the pathetic excuse for a holoterminal on the cargo ship. Malavai would be out for several hours, she reasoned; there was time for her to do a little digging. She made a few well-practiced keystrokes that she hoped would cover her tracks for a short while, then her fingers rapidly began searching. As she read about Baras and his rise to power, her brow furrowed. She noted enough obvious holes to assume that he’d lied, killed, or manipulated his way along in some places, particularly in recent years. Not unusual for a Sith, she knew, but she sensed that this particular Darth was slimier than most. Had to be to unsettle her normally steadfast brother to the point of making a poorly-executed effort to murder his so-called lover.

She started to look into the past of the Sith Malavai had supposedly grown to love, but stopped herself short before making too much progress. While the whole situation struck her as impossible, she figured she and this allegedly “reasonable” Sith could have a conversation or two before she resorted to the holonet. She may not be Force-sensitive, but she wasn’t exactly without skill in reading people, she knew. Her own family history made certain of that.

Grimacing at the bitterness of the last dregs of her caff, she made a few final quick keystrokes and pushed herself back from the holoterminal. She wasn’t sure that she’d really learned anything other than to proceed with caution -- she certainly didn’t want to draw the attention of this Baras creep before Malavai’s Sith hopefully put an end to him. And she knew that whatever Malavai had been through, he was nowhere yet near being on solid ground. She washed her mug and put it back into the galley cabinet, then quietly stuck her head into Malavai’s quarters. She smiled to herself, a little wistfully, at seeing his brow slack for once, the corners of his mouth drooping a bit. As a small child, he’d given himself over to sleep so thoroughly, but she couldn’t remember the last time she saw him truly at rest. Certainly not since he’d gone to the military academy, which had happened shortly after their father’s death. She crept over and pulled the blanket back up over his shoulder where he’d thrown it off, just as she used to do late at night when they’d been left alone with the household droid. He snuffled in his sleep and pulled his knees into his chest, and she hurriedly left the room, ignoring the tear that trickled down her cheek.

* * *

“These killers are but the first,” Servant One’s voice echoed tinnily across the lounge of the Fury. “There will be more. Vowrawn actively defies Baras. If he dies, Baras will be named Voice of the Emperor. Protect Darth Vowrawn at all costs, and aid in his attempts to undermine our enemy. Goodbye.”

Torilya started to turn away from the holoterminal, but the sound of static stopped her halfway round.

“Detecting a forced transmission,” Pierce said, seconds before Baras’s image rendered before them.

“I assume you still recognize me. Consider yourself fortunate that I am reaching out like this.” Tori forced herself not to cringe at Baras’s nasally tones.

“I’m sorry; should I know you?” she feigned innocence, ignoring Vette’s barely stifled cackles behind her.

“Your wit has not improved,” Baras drew himself up. “It must be ignorance driving your actions. As wronged by me as you may feel, surely you are not intentionally defying the Emperor.” Tori barely suppressed an eyeroll at this statement.

“I’m here to tell you that you are being deceived. The organization you work for is not the Emperor’s Hand.”

“You are the deceiver, Baras,” Tori all but yawned, curious to see where this conversation would lead.

“I don’t blame you for doubting me. And I will not apologize for my actions. I am the Voice of the Emperor, and there is a reason for all we do. In the end, what you think does not matter. So, believe what you will. But your handlers have you in over your head, sticking your wet nose in Darth business,” Baras said snottily.

It was all Tori could do not to laugh. “I’ve gotten under your skin, haven’t I?”

“Your lack of sight is almost laughable. Walk away now, and perhaps our previous animosities can be swept aside.” With that, Baras cut the transmission. Torilya gave herself over to the hysterical laughter that had bubbled up.

“The nerve,” Pierce snorted through his own laughter. “ _He’s_ gonna forgive _you_?”

The sound of laughter from the entire crew echoed throughout the ship for a moment before Tori cleared her throat and drew herself fully upright again.

“He’s lost his mind. Come, no more talk. Baras’s assassins must be stopped,” she nodded to Vette, and the two women gathered their gear and made their way to the airlock.

 

* * *

Torilya and Vette had just made their way to the little cantina in the spaceport that would be their home base planetside when Tori’s personal holo unit beeped.

“Man, can’t leave the kiddos at home for five minutes,” Vette quipped.

Ignoring her companion, Tori stepped into a corner and answered. Pierce’s image shimmered into place.

“Wrath, Broonmark has reboarded ship and is requesting orders directly from you,” he said, barely suppressing a sigh.

Torilya smirked. “I seem to recall someone else once protesting at taking orders indirectly, Lieutenant,” she couldn’t help goading him.

Pierce opened his mouth as if to protest, then shut it. Tori let her eyes twinkle at him for a second before saving him.

“Put him on; I’ll speak to him.”

Broonmark’s image materialized, and the Talz let forth a series of grunts and warbles upon seeing Torilya, who merely held up a hand. He fell silent.

“Broonmark, Pierce is acting on my authority while I am on planet. Until you hear otherwise from me, you are to do as he asks. Understood?”

Broonmark chuffed an affirmative, then stepped aside for Pierce to resume control of the call.

“Find something for him to do, Pierce,” Tori said. “Ship maintenance, weapons upgrades -- whatever you can think of to make him feel useful. I may need him before I’m done here, and I don’t want him to take off on another hunting expedition -- or worse, get bored and pick a fight with Jaesa.”

Pierce grinned at her. “Understood, sir. Good hunting.”

Tori disconnected the call, then turned to Vette, who had come up behind her.

“I’ve got a room lined up for us for whenever. What’s the plan?”

“We go find some assassins and wipe the floor with them.”

“At your service, My Most Wrathful of Wraths,” Vette said, patting her blasters.

* * *

As Torilya and Vette were tracking and disposing of the first of Baras’s assassins, Quinn began to stir in his slumber. Stretching out an arm, he searched for Tori’s waist beside him, ready to pull her back into his embrace. When his hand touched the cool, rough sheets of his narrow bed on the cargo ship, he jolted awake. He sat up in bed, forcing the lump in his throat back down as he reacclimated himself to reality. He was still aboard this floating prison, and his big sister had tricked him and drugged him so that he would sleep. Sighing heavily, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and pulled his boots back on. His body was already responding favorably to the dreamless sleep the sedative had afforded him, but he felt like he had lost time.

Time to do what, exactly? he asked himself. Unable to come up with a satisfactory answer, he rose and made his way out of his quarters to confront his sister.

Melia was lightly dozing in a chair in the tiny galley-as-lounge area, but she snapped awake as soon as she heard his footsteps approaching.

“Sleep well?” she asked lightly, yawning and pulling herself to her feet.

“I suppose you’re proud of yourself.”

“You weren’t doing anyone any favors by making yourself crazy through lack of sleep. You weren’t going to take the necessary measures, so I did. Get over it,” Melia shrugged as she shuffled toward the galley counter. “Tea?”

Quinn opened his mouth and shut it again several times before managing a response.

“Please.”

Melia made a gesture that seemed to indicate Malavai should sit, so he did. Several quiet moments passed before Melia handed him a steaming cup of tea. She let him sip for a moment before she spoke.

“What’s your plan?”

Quinn boggled at her. “Sorry?”

“You’ve gotten me off of Dromund Kaas and presumably safe - as safe as I can be - from being used as a tool for your punishment. You’re dancing around, hiding from this Darth, who you assume wants you dead since you failed to kill his upstart apprentice -- and we’ll deal with the fact that you’re in love with her later -- and I find it hard to believe, Malavai, that your brilliant strategist brain has taken you no further than that. So, I repeat: What is your plan?”

Quinn looked at her, gobsmacked. “I -- I honestly don’t know, Melia. May I remind you, I hardly expected to be alive and in this situation,” he spat, his voice becoming icy.

“Hmm. Poor you.”

“I beg your pardon?” Quinn’s voice was low, barely above a whisper now.

Melia shrugged. “Sorry you’re so inconvenienced by being alive despite your alleged numerous screwups. Sorry you find yourself with a second chance. Sorry you seem content to waste it tormenting yourself. What else would you like me to say?” She walked toward her quarters. “Door’s open if you want a chat.”

Quinn stared after her from his uncomfortable seat, tea in hand, mouth open in shock.

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

“What a day, huh?” Vette flopped on one of the bunks in the small, dusty room she and Tori were sharing. “Darth Blubberbutt sure knows how to pick some weird henchmen. That SIS guy was… special. Half expected him to ask you to autograph his blaster or something before he tried to shoot you.”

Torilya made a noncommittal noise, seemingly absorbed in the business of trading her armor for her sleep clothes.

Vette paused for a moment before carrying on. “Too bad. He might have been kinda cute had it not been for that ‘I’m a total creeper’ vibe. And the whole SIS thing. But, you know, otherwise…”

Torilya snorted. “You’ve been spending too much time with Jaesa.”

“Ah! You were listening!” Vette launched herself from her bunk to Tori’s.

“Despite my best efforts, yes.”

Vette lobbed a pillow at Tori, missing her entirely. Tori wrinkled her nose as the pillow hit the floor.

“You’re sleeping on that one, not me.”

Vette rolled her eyes. “Fiiiiiine. Whatever keeps you out of that big Sithy funk you’re working on there.”

Tori sighed. “I just...need to stay focused, Vette.”

“Yeah, I get that. But you’re starting to look like someone who’s focusing a little too hard for her own good.”

The room was quiet for a moment. Tori picked the pillow up off the floor and dropped it on Vette’s lap before climbing into the empty bunk, setting her lightsaber and holocom on the nightstand next to it. She turned onto her side, her back to the room.

“Kill the lights when you’re done with whatever you’re going to do, would you?

Brow furrowed, Vette made quick work of getting ready for bed and stashing her blasters, making sure to leave one within easy reach. She shut off the lights and climbed into her own bunk with her datapad, knowing sleep was a long way off for her yet. To her surprise, a message from Pierce was waiting for her when she powered it on.

_Inside compartment of your weapons case. In case she can’t sleep. Don’t make a fuss of it. -- P_

Curiosity getting the better of her, Vette slid back out of her bunk and over to her bag. She opened it and dug into the compartment,smirking when she found a small canister of tea leaves. She wouldn’t make a fuss of it to Tori, but she sure as hell would to Pierce later.

* * *

“You summoned me, My Lord?”

Darth Baras stood with his back to the door of his chambers on Dromund Kaas, not bothering to turn around to address his visitor.

“Yes. My assassins on Corellia have thus far failed me. My former apprentice has managed to eliminate the first two. I cannot risk further failures.”

Baras paused, then slowly turned to face the figure in the doorway. A pair of red cybernetic eyes gazed back at him.

“Had you succeeded in your first attempts to dispose of the little whelp, you would already be at my right hand while I control the Dark Council.” Baras hissed, lightning shooting from his fingertips to arc across the large figure standing in the doorway. A bark of harsh, manic laughter escaped the target as he jolted, his eyes flashing a brilliant scarlet. Baras stepped closer.

“To your credit, you at least managed to hold onto your life.” Another volley of lightning flew from Baras’s hands as he stepped closer still, until he stood mere inches from the other man.

“Your hatred for her sustained you, gave you the determination to survive to see her downfall, did it not? The pain, the fire -- they nourished that hatred.” Baras raised his hand and the man rose into the air, struggling for breath.

“You will find that you no longer truly need the air for which you struggle so valiantly,” Baras said demurely. “However, your instinct is still to fight. Remarkable, isn’t it? And that fear that drives you to struggle -- feel how it makes that fire burn more intensely; feel it roaring in your chest until you think you can no longer bear it. Feel how the anger builds until you are consumed with the desire to lash out and destroy that which binds you.”

Baras let his captive dangle a moment more before simultaneously releasing him and sending a massive wave of lightning through him, the impact knocking him to the floor, where he lay convulsing violently. The smell of burning flesh and overheated alloy filled the small chamber; Baras’s nostrils flared inside the mask he wore, and he let out a low chuckle of satisfaction. He loomed over the crumpled figure on the floor.

“I have remade you, transformed you into something greater than your former self. Your body no longer suffers some of the weaknesses to which you nearly succumbed in that disgraceful display on Hoth. Your pain and your hatred, your passion, gave you the strength to overcome death. Now you begin again. Let this bounty of pain I have bestowed upon you feed your hatred. Draw strength from your fury and exult in the power I have freed in you.”

With one last blast of lightning, Baras stepped through the doorway, then turned back to speak over his shoulder.

“You _will_ be victorious, Draahg, or you will wish that I had merely left you to slowly perish in that inferno.”

* * *

 

 

Torilya found herself walking through a flat, grey landscape, unable to discern any sort of path at her feet. Her senses felt dulled, her body heavy. Nebulous shapes loomed at varying distances on the horizon, but no matter where she walked, none of them would shift into focus. She felt fear begin to rise in her throat; instinctively, she reached for her lightsaber, but it was not in its usual place at her hip. She balled her fists, trying to master the fear, but it only became more oppressive. Reaching out into the Force, she groped for any sort of energy, but it felt as if she were trying to pick up a very fine needle wearing large, puffy mittens. The shapes faded and flickered in the distance, then rearranged themselves, but still remained impossible to identify. Suddenly, she felt a presence brush by her side and wheeled around sharply, taking up a defensive crouch. The air around her seemed to thicken and shimmer, though nothing tangible was anywhere close by. She blinked, willing her eyes to focus, and when she opened them, she saw - just for the briefest moment - another set of eyes shining a few feet away in the odd, misty air. Brilliant green, slightly more round than oval -- she recognized them as her own, as they once looked. She blinked again. A different pair of eyes flashed before her, this time deep blue. They lingered for a moment, shining at her warmly.

“Malavai,” she whispered.

The gaze on her hardened, the deep blue shade morphing to pitch black, and she slammed her eyes shut, her breath coming rapidly. She knelt, pressing her palms firmly into the cold ground in an attempt to release some of the rush of emotion. Again she sensed a presence brushing against her, and she forced herself to open her eyes again. Her own eyes stared back at her again, this time flashing crimson before fading to a deep orange, then dissipating into the mist as quickly as they appeared. Refusing to blink this time, she tried to use the Force to push the mist aside, but it just seemed to push back. She stood, turning in a circle, then felt a presence at her back. She spun around, this time meeting the gaze of all three sets of eyes, which seemed to be advancing on her. Feeling multiple presences sliding around her now, Torilya once again slid into a crouch, whipping her head from side to side, trying to make out anything she could. Again she tried to push against the mist with the Force, but it just pushed back more intensely, pressing against her until she could not move.

The three sets of eyes seemed to draw closer still, and a distinct charge went up the back of Torilya’s neck. She spun again, and three more sets of eyes had appeared in the mist behind her: an odd, inhuman red pair; another human set, dull orange; and yet one more set that was shaped exactly like her own but a deep, rich brown in color. The mist pressed harder against her; she was gasping for breath now, almost panicking, still unable to move. She screwed her eyes shut, gathering every ounce of will she had. With a shriek of rage and terror, she propelled herself forward through the air, her hands extended in front of her. Just as she managed to grasp something, everything went black. She squeezed with all her strength, desperate to feel the life drain away from whatever it was that had held her, when a hoarse sob tore through the darkness.

“Tori! Stop! Please!”

Tori wrenched her eyes open and instantly stilled, horrified. Her hands were wrapped around Vette’s throat, pinning the girl against the wall in the rented room. She immediately released Vette, wrapping her arms around her own waist as she backed away. Shaking and covered in sweat, she sank onto her bunk, her knees giving out..

“Gods, Vette, I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “I don’t… I was dreaming, I suppose, and…” she trailed off.

Vette, pale and visibly shaken, raised a hand as if to quiet Tori while she caught her breath.

“I’m okay. It’s okay. You were thrashing around, and I tried to wake you. Should have known better than to get too close while you were so out of it.”

The two women sat in silence for a long time, both trying to calm themselves. After a few minutes, Vette picked up her datapad and checked the time, her hand still shaking a bit.

“Might as well get up, I guess. Sun will be up soon.”

Torilya just looked at her, eyes still slightly unfocused. Vette stood up and started gathering her gear. When she’d gotten into her leathers and Tori still hadn’t moved, she walked over and knelt in front of her friend.

“Tori. Look at me. I’m okay. You’re okay,” Vette said forcefully, reaching out and gripping the Sith’s knees. Torilya looked at her again, blinking rapidly and shaking her head slightly.

“That’s it, just focus on me for a sec. Tell me what we’re doing today.”

“More of Baras’s assassins, should be tracking them…” Tori mumbled.

“Righto. Gotta stick it to His Tubbiness,” Vette forced her tone to be as cheery and light as she could. “Where do we start? Did we hear anything else from the Hand weirdos?”

Tori gestured at her datapad. “Said they’d send coordinates as they got them.” Her eyes were starting to look more focused; her voice was becoming stronger as she spoke.

“Okey dokey. So, shall I track down some lovely cantina caff while you get yourself suited up?”

Tori pulled a bit of a face, and Vette sighed internally in relief.

“Better than nothing, I suppose,” Tori said disdainfully.

“Coming right up!” Vette stepped out of the room. Once she was a safe distance from the door, she ducked into a corner, pulled her comm unit from her pocket, and placed a call.

“Report!” Pierce’s tiny form barked at her.

“Good morning to you too,” she sniped.

Pierce scrubbed a hand down his face and sighed.

“Sorry. Didn’t sleep so well last night.”

“Yeah, well, that makes you and our favorite Sith Lord. We had a bit of a situation.”

Vette could see Pierce’s shoulders tense at that despite the grainy image.

“What d’you mean? Is she all right? Are you compromised?” he rapid-fired at her.

“We are fine, thanks for asking.” Vette rolled her eyes. “She apparently had -- I don’t know, do Sith have nightmares? Whatever it was, it was intense, and I made the mistake of getting too close when I tried to wake her. She had me by the throat and against the wall before I knew what was happening, and she almost didn’t snap out of it in time. I think my voice eventually got through to her, but…” Vette trailed off.

Pierce bent forward, placing his hands on his knees for a moment. When he straightened, his brow was creased.

“Shit. Are you okay?” he asked.

Vette nodded. “Yeah. Freaked me the hell out, but I’ve had worse,” she shrugged, remembering all too well the bite of the shock collar. “I’m worried about her, though. The dream or whatever was bad enough, but now I think she’s freaked out over almost killing me. I was able to kind of talk her around, but she keeps giving me this look. I don’t know what to do for her. She keeps talking about needing to stay focused, but...”

Pierce nodded, his face grim. “Right. Keep her talking about the mission. Get her moving. Fighting.”

“I think we’re still waiting on the Hand to get us more intel. We squashed two dudes yesterday… well, a droid and a dude. But I keep seeing little pockets of Imperial forces out here. Probably we could pick up some side work.” Vette glanced at the time on her datapad. “I should get back. I told her I was gonna find us some caff. Next time, I’m making Two-Vee pack us some decent stuff.”

“All right. Keep me apprised. Have her check in when she can. Pierce out.”

“Have a nice day!” Vette said sarcastically to herself as she slid the comm back in her pocket and hurried off in search of the promised caff.

* * *

Melia emerged from her quarters to find her brother seated at the holoterminal, tapping away frantically.

“Aren’t you a busy boy,” she said, coming to stand beside him.

“Indeed.”

“Finally writing your memoirs, then?

He ignored her, continuing his work.

She shrugged, then went to flop in one of the uncomfortable lounge chairs, datapad in hand. She read silently for a few moments, then sighed.

“If you are writing, I hope to hell it’s better than this poor excuse for a romance novel. If I read one more description of bulging pectorals or firm, yet supple bosoms, I’m going to lose it.”

Quinn snorted, but did not look away from his task.

“I see your taste in literature has not improved,” he drawled snottily.

“And you could save me from it if you’d just tell me what you’re up to.”

Sighing, Quinn finally turned to look at his sister.

“I am putting my ‘brilliant strategist brain,’ as you put it, to work. After your, er, _inspiring_ words earlier, it occurred to me that given my knowledge and connections, perhaps I can still help turn the tide of things after all, even if I cannot be at her side.”

Melia threw her arms in the air in a dramatic gesture of triumph.

“Finally, he pulls his head out of his arse!”

“Yes. Now, do shut up before I am forced to kick yours.”

Smiling, Melia stood up, walked over to Quinn, planted a smacking kiss on his forehead, and left him to his work.

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

Vette wrinkled her nose against the stench of singed fur as she gingerly rolled the mangled remains of a Selonian rebel over with her foot so she could check the corpse for anything of value. Yards ahead of her, Torilya was already leaping into another group of rebels, her lightsaber an orange blur. Vette quickly stowed the stims she found and, sighing, hurled a thermal grenade at the pack before running to catch up. Tori had already cut down two of the weaker ones by the time she was within shooting range, and as Vette lined up her first shot, she couldn’t help feeling a little awe at the Sith’s prowess in combat: Tori was simultaneously holding one aloft with the Force while she continued to strike at it with her saber and deflect blows from another rebel. A couple of quick, clean shots from Vette finished that one, and by the time she had her blasters recharged for a shot at the one Tori was toying with, it was down.

Looking around, Vette didn’t immediately see any more Selonians, so she holstered her blasters and took a moment to catch her breath. This type of job -- randomly culling groups of beings just because they happened to be in the way of someone’s grand scheme -- wasn’t something she enjoyed or normally condoned, nor was it something Torilya typically went out of her way to do, but it seemed to be just what her friend needed for the moment, so Vette had encouraged her to take it. The Hand still hadn’t contacted them with information about the next assassin, and Vette knew just hanging around waiting wasn’t going to help Torilya’s state of mind at all - Pierce had that right. Maybe he’s not as stupid as he looks, she mused, jogging now to catch up with Tori, who seemed to be tracking something Vette couldn’t see. No problems with focus now, she thought, seeing Tori crouch in preparation for another attack. Unholstering her blasters, Vette braced against a pile of debris and readied herself for another round, grimacing a bit.

“Gonna be sore tonight,” she grumbled, squeezing off a shot as the rebel’s stealth generator failed under Torilya’s assault.

 

* * *

“Watch the comm,” Pierce growled at Jaesa, who’d come in just as he disconnected with Vette.

Jaesa snorted. “You don’t expect me to bow or some shit, do you?”

“Just. Do it.” Pierce ground out, spinning on his heel and heading for the cargo hold.

Jaesa stood for a moment before walking to the holoterminal and pressing a few buttons, then sliding her personal comm from her robes and switching it on. Tossing it in the air, she used the Force to hold it aloft while she sauntered after Pierce. When she reached the cargo hold, she found him there pummelling one of the dummies, still in full armor. Leaning against the doorframe, she casually flipped her comm repeatedly like a coin in the air, still using the Force to manipulate it. She watched Pierce, waiting until sweat began to build on his brow before she spoke.

“So, do you love her?”

Pierce did not slow his strikes in the least.

“Thought… I told you… to watch… the comm,” he grunted between hits.

Jaesa whipped her comm across the room, inches from his face, recalling it to her hand just before it hit the wall.

“Forwarding here, genius. We aren’t going to miss anything from your precious Lord,” she said snidely.

Pierce’s only response was to speed up his blows to the dummy.

“Well?” Jaesa jeered.

With a final hit, Pierce sent the dummy crashing to the floor in pieces. He stood quietly for a moment, breathing heavily, before turning to level his gaze on Jaesa.

“What the fuck’s it to you?”

“Ooh, my, such foul words,” Jaesa began to slink towards him, her face taking on a childish pout. “She’s really gotten under your skin, hasn’t she? Don’t think the rest of us didn’t notice your little slumber party the night before she left.”

Pierce stood in place and said nothing, his nostrils flaring slightly with each shallow breath. Jaesa slid behind him, one hand on his chest, and stood on tiptoe, her chest pressing into his back.

“But then, that’s not the only slumber party you’ve had, is it?” she breathed in his ear. “Barely waited for Captain Sadsack to take off before you jumped right into those tight little pants of hers. Tell me, do you just get off on the rebound, or is she that good of a lay? Because maybe I should get in on that too --” she started to slide her hand down his torso “-- unless you think you can handle us both.”

With that, Pierce’s hand shot to her wrist and he yanked her around to face him, dumping her unceremoniously on the floor.

“Listen, _little girl_ ,” he hissed. “Whatever now-I’m-a-big-bad-Sith power trip you have going on is going to get you killed when you mess with the wrong person. And I’m not saying that won’t happen on this ship. I will say this once: Grow up. Get your shit together. Or the rest of your life will be very lonely -- and likely very short.”

Jaesa, for once stunned into silence, stared up at him, swallowing hard. He started to walk out of the room, then turned back to face her again.

“You wanna know why she’s worthy of love? Mine, yours, Vette -- and yeah, Quinn’s, too, if that’s what it ever was. Yeah, she’s Sith. But even her darkness is rooted in humanity. And until you figure that out, until you truly learn from her example, you’ll be nothing but yet another completely unremarkable Sith who thinks she rules the universe, but in the end will die powerless and alone. Scares the hell out of you, doesn’t it?”

With that, Pierce walked out, making his way back to the holoterminal. He routed incoming calls back to the main terminal, then sank onto the couch. He leaned back, allowing his head to drop onto the seatback, and forced himself to take a few deep breaths, reminding himself of what Tori had said of Jaesa during one of their recent conversations:

_I know she’s beyond difficult, and she tries my patience as well. But, Pierce, remember -- she’s essentially relearning everything she’s ever known, just as a small child might. She takes pushing her boundaries to the extreme, but I understand it in a way. She’s had this immense power all along, but was kept on a leash, not allowed to fully explore this part of herself. Now, she gorges on this self-exploration to excess, but it must be so if she is ever to learn that discipline does not necessarily equal denying one’s true nature or mindlessly following some bit of dogma, as the Jedi have taught her. She must have no questions or reservations about her chosen path. In time, she will learn that there is a difference between answering to one’s own ideals and simply following whatever impulse strikes. But she must learn that for herself, and she cannot yet -- she has yet to discover what her ideals and values truly are. It’s my job to keep her tethered without making her feel trapped, to help her develop the tools she needs to be able to find that path, and it’s no coincidence that she is in my charge. She would have suffocated to death under the Jedi, but she is too raw, too impressionable to survive more than a few days with virtually any other Sith. I’ve no doubt that her fate and mine are intertwined, even if I don’t fully understand how yet myself. Though I at times lose my temper with her, I must remind myself of that._

As much as Pierce felt he could relate to and understand Tori, there were moments that she felt inscrutable to him, and that had been one. He never pretended to understand how she seemed to just know things at times, but as he had yet to find himself arguing with the results, he’d come to implicitly trust her instincts.

“Doesn’t make her less of a pain in the ass, though,” he grumbled under his breath, then lifted his head to listen to the ship’s sounds for a moment before groaning and letting it drop back again. Seconds later, Too-Vee clattered in.

“Master Pierce, I have thoroughly cleaned and disinfected every surface on this vessel. As our Lord has placed me in charge of medic’s duties aboard ship in Master Quinn’s absence, I thought it most prudent to ensure the ship’s environment was sanitary and harboring no possible carriers of illness or infection. I must report that I do not believe Mistress Vette has arranged the medbay’s inventory in the most efficient way. Perhaps my next order of business should be to properly catalog and store every item so that no time is lost in case of an emergency --”

“Right, knock yourself out,” Pierce muttered, making a shooing motion with a hand.

Too-Vee clanked away to the medbay. Pierce remained on the couch for quite a while, head back, one hand pinching the bridge of his nose. Finally, he sighed and heaved himself to his feet, heading back to the holoterminal to resume monitoring comm traffic.

* * *

Quinn glanced irritably at his datapad for the umpteenth time in several minutes, but the thing remained dark -- no little blinking light to tell him the message he was waiting for had appeared. Sighing, he threw himself onto his bunk. He closed his eyes, forcing himself to breathe slowly and deeply. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to pick up his holo and raise the Fury, just to check on Tori, but he knew the moment he disregarded her order would be the final blow to any remaining scrap of trust she may have had in him.

Against his better judgement, he allowed himself to think of her as he lay on his bed. His eyes still closed, he let visions of her float before him: her eyes looking into his from across the breakfast table; from beneath him as he cradled her in her -- their -- bed; flashing at him as she leapt into combat, wild and yet wholly in control; twinkling at him as she teased him. As residual fatigue pulled him further into his reverie, the sound of the ship’s engines almost became an echo of her laugh, deep and throaty, and he could almost smell her distinct scent - a blend of the citrusy soap she used, the leatheris in her armor, and something uniquely her that he couldn’t quite identify.

Just as sleep began to fully take him over, suddenly the images before him shifted back to the usual nightmare: Torilya, towering over him with fury and pain in her eyes; Quinn at her feet in a useless heap, his chest burning from lack of oxygen, grief, and fear. This time, though, he was saved by the chime of his datapad pulling him back to the moment. Rubbing his eyes, he powered on the screen to see a message:

_Thanks for your note. Travels going great; holopics to follow -- too many to attach here. Next trip I’ll take you up on your kind offer of a free bunk. Love to the family. -- Zee_

Tossing his datapad aside, Quinn leapt off his bed and all but ran to the ship’s holoterminal. Sure enough, an encrypted message was waiting and several files showed waiting to download. He quickly began to decrypt the message, cursing under his breath at the slow machine. Finally, he was able to read it:

_You owe me. You know I hate messing about with Darths and their nonsense. Scoped your old office on Balmorra before I left. Same shithole. Some Imperial lackey looked to be squatting there, but no one of consequence. Someday you’re going to tell me this whole story -- or, at least, I’ll get it out of Mel. Give her a hug for me. If this stuff gets you murdered in your sleep, never say I didn’t warn you. -- C9_

Rolling his eyes at the signature, Quinn sighed heavily. There was no way the ship’s holoterminal was going to be able to handle decrypting the files, much less in any sort of timely fashion. He had no choice but to find a machine that could do it, and unfortunately, the one on the Fury was out of the question. He had only one other option that he could be certain of, and he really didn’t want to take it. Squaring his shoulders, he recalled the images of Tori that had lulled him into his earlier daydreams, then strode purposefully to the ship’s navigation terminal. He punched in some coordinates -- perhaps with a bit of vehemence -- then went to Melia’s quarters.

“Be prepared for some time in hyperspace. We are on the move,” he announced as he stuck his head into her doorway.

Melia arched an eyebrow at him from where she reclined on her bunk, still reading on her datapad.

“Oh?” she prompted him.

“Yes. I must make a stop on Balmorra.”

Melia shrugged. “I’ll check the weather reports before we land,” she said sarcastically.

Quinn nodded brusquely and started to make his way back to his quarters. A couple steps out of the doorway, he stopped and looked back over his shoulder.

“Oh, by the way -- Zanebi says hello.”

Melia’s eyes widened on hearing her friend’s name, and she shot off her bunk and to the door.

“We are so not done discussing this, brother dear!” she shouted at Quinn’s back as he disappeared into his quarters and shut the door.

 


	8. Chapter 8

It was well after nightfall when Torilya and Vette made their way back to their rented room, both of them dirty, bloodied, and sore. Much to her annoyance, Tori’s new armor sported a nicely-sized gash on the right thigh where a rebel’s vibroblade had gotten by her. The two women dropped their gear as soon as they got in the door and sat down hard on their respective bunks. Tori examined her damaged armor with a scowl.

“I never thought I would hear myself say so, but I wish Too-Vee were here to take care of this. I’d even welcome his idea of a proper meal right about now.”

Vette chuckled. “Well, if you want to get changed, I think I saw a utility droid out there. I can see if it can clean our stuff and take care of that for you -- and then go find us some food while it’s working.”

“Thank you, Vette, that actually sounds perfect,” Torilya sighed gratefully as she peeled off her tight-fitting armor and let her hair out of its coil.

“You got it!”

Vette traded her own leathers for street clothes and gathered up their combat gear, surreptitiously sliding the small canister that was hiding in her weapons case into her pocket as she did so. Crossing the small room to the door, she stopped and looked at Tori, who had put on her sleep clothes and settled cross-legged on her bunk with her holocom in hand.

“Anything in particular you want me to try to find for you to eat?” Vette asked.

Tori shook her head. “Just bring back whatever looks edible. I’m hungry enough to eat those damn shoe-leather protein bars Too-Vee insists on packing.”

Vette grinned, and then laughed as Tori, noticing her full arms, opened the door for her with the Force.

“Why thank you, Your Lordship,” Vette drawled in a poor imitation of an Alderaanian noble.

“Next time I expect a curtsy,” Tori shot back as the door closed behind the Twi’lek.

Alone in the room, Tori took several deep breaths as she rolled her head in circles, trying to loosen some of the day’s tension from her neck. She looked at the holo unit in her hand, then exhaled and pressed a few buttons, squaring her shoulders as the call connected and a familiar, lean figure flickered into view.

“Captain. Wrath here. Status report, please.”

Quinn’s image stuttered a bit as he responded.

“Currently in hyperspace... sir. Apologies if transmission is subpar. All is well here. My passenger encountered no difficulties en route to our rendezvous, and as yet I’ve no reason to believe either of us are being pursued.”

“Understood. I will not ask you to reveal your destination at this time. Do you have anything else to report, Captain? Again, need-to-know only.”

“No, sir.” Despite the poor quality of the image, Quinn’s Adam’s apple visibly bobbed as he spoke.

“Very well. My mission parameters remain unchanged. I remind you once more to maintain radio silence until otherwise instructed by myself or Lieutenant Pierce. Wrath out.”

Tori cut off the transmission before Quinn could respond. She paused only for a few seconds before placing a second call. This time, the connection resolved much faster, and Pierce’s form was much clearer.

“Lieutenant. How are things?”

Pierce grinned. “No bloodshed here yet. Got Broonmark testing the practice dummies to see if he can find a way to make ‘em tougher. Figured that might keep him out of trouble a while.”

Tori returned his smile, choosing not to address the lack of Jaesa-related news. “Wise move. Have you picked up any interesting chatter?”

“Hardly a peep. How are things planetside?”

Tori shrugged. “Not sure what the holdup is from the Hand. Spent the day squashing some rebels for the Imperial military. Apparently some overgrown cats were too much for them to handle. Not up to your caliber, for sure.”

Pierce affected a swagger. “What can I say? Some of us are just born for greatness.”

“Indeed.” Tori smirked, then stifled a yawn. A few beats of silence passed before Pierce spoke.

“Glad you checked in. Been boring up here without you to beat on me. Looks like I should let you turn in, though.”

Tori nodded reluctantly. “Vette’s out trying to track us down some food. I -- didn’t sleep so well last night.”

“Nightmares?”

Tori nodded again. Pierce schooled his expression, not allowing the worry he felt to show, though he knew she’d likely pick up on it anyway.

“Well, some people count barn animals -- suppose you could count overgrown cats. Or let Vette tell you her life story; that chatter should put you out in no time.”

Tori cracked a grin at that. “Helpful as always.”

“‘S my job.”

“Goodnight, Pierce.”

“‘Night, Tori.”

Vette clattered back into the room just as Tori was disconnecting. She held a tray with a few covered dishes, a steaming mug, and a pitcher of water precariously balanced on top. Tori quickly stood up and grabbed the pitcher and mug before they tumbled to the floor, inhaling deeply as the steam from the mug caught her nose.

“What’s this?”

Vette shrugged. “Tea. Thought you might like some before bed.”

“Mmm. And the cantina just happened to have this blend in stock, did it?”

Knowing she was busted, Vette just gave Tori a look.

“Did he give it to you or stash it?”

“Stashed it in my weapons case. Didn’t find it until late last night. I have explicit instructions not to make a big deal of it, so… I didn’t. Be nice.”

“If I must.”

Tori set the mug on her nightstand to steep and began to uncover the dishes as Vette set the tray down. The two women made quick work of the nerf stew  -- Tori highly suspected the meat was reconstituted dehydrated stock, but she didn’t particularly care -- and somewhat stale bread. Vette took the empty dishes and used cutlery back to the bar as Tori settled back onto her bunk with her cup of tea. She had just finished the last sips when Vette returned, laden down with their combat gear.

“It’s not as thorough as what Too-Vee would have done, but it’s better. I guess his obsessive programming is good for something after all.”

Tori nodded, inspecting her repaired leggings. If she looked closely, she could tell they had been damaged, but on first glance they looked fine. She set the gear aside and climbed into her bunk; Vette mirrored her actions across the room. Both setting their weapons within easy reach, Tori killed the lights with the Force, feeling the effort in her entire body. She’d overdone it that day, she knew, especially given how poorly she’d slept the previous night. She only hoped the exhaustion and the tea would do their job.

“Vette?”

“Yeah?”

“Tell me more about Nok Drayen.”

Vette smiled to herself as she began to talk quietly, monitoring the sound of Torilya’s breathing the whole time. Once she heard it slow and become even, she let her voice trail off and closed her own eyes.

* * *

Quinn forced his hands to unclench after Torilya cut the transmission, the fedora he’d been attempting to clean now even more crumpled and bruised after their conversation. He’d seen the evidence of combat and fatigue in her face and physically ached to soothe her, to heal her wounds then whisper her to sleep as he’d done so many times before. He allowed himself a brief moment of self-pity before smacking the fedora into his palm and returning to his preparations. The best he could do for her now was successfully complete this task. Giving up on his hat, he turned his attention to an old datapad, a small bundle of wire and plasteel, and a compact soldering iron that lay on his bunk. As he fiddled with the wires, a tiny smile spread across his face. Surely it won’t hurt for me to take a little satisfaction from this endeavor as well, he mused as he worked. Balmorra was only twelve hours away; he had no time to waste.

* * *

A shrill beeping noise brought Torilya out of her bunk like a shot, her lightsaber flying from her nightstand and into her hand before her feet hit the floor. She looked around wildly for a moment before she placed the sound -- her datapad was signaling an incoming message. Switching off her saber, she tossed it back onto her table as she picked up the datapad. An encrypted message waited for her, she assumed from the Hand. Shaking her head in disbelief at Vette still sleeping soundly across the room, she jabbed the girl in the ribs.

“Vette. Wake up.”

Groaning slightly, Vette simply rolled away, clearly still not awake.

“Vette.” Tori spoke sharply, still to no avail. Sighing, she backed up a few steps so that she was out of arm’s reach, then raised a hand, palm up, curling her fingers toward her. Vette slowly came to an awkward sitting position, her head lolling back at an unsightly angle. Tori raised her other hand and made a tilting motion, bringing Vette’s head more upright, then released it and sent a gentle “slap” of Force energy across the girl’s cheek. Vette woke up swinging, as Tori knew she would.

“Damn it! What? What is it?”

“Message came in. Encrypted. I could take care of it, but you’re faster.” Torilya handed her the datapad.

Vette was blinking rapidly, obviously trying to shake herself alert.

“Sorry -- you want me to what? Out of a dead sleep? I take back everything I ever said about you being nice,” she grumbled. Despite her protests, though, her fingers were already flying over the datapad. She worked a moment, then handed the pad back to Tori.

“From the Hand, I’m guessing. Looks like coordinates. Finally got a handle on assassin number three’s plans, maybe?”

Tori skimmed the message, then nodded.

“Yes. Get up, we’ve no time to lose. These are for another so-called secret landing strip, but something tells me our path to it won’t be clear.”

Vette grumbled under her breath melodramatically as she pulled on her leathers. Tori was dressed and ready before Vette was halfway put together, so she looked at her friend as she began to lace up her boots.

“Your turn to find caff. No way I can shoot straight in this condition otherwise.”

Tori pulled a face, but headed out the door to the bar.

A couple of hours later, Torilya and Vette were still fighting their way to the coordinates given by the Hand. They’d found the area easily enough -- it was close to where they had eliminated the first two assassins -- but getting to the exact point was proving difficult, as they encountered heavy resistance before they even got to the building in question. Torilya was once again in her element, her lightsaber arcing through the air as she spun and leapt, feinted and struck, dodged and parried. She so effectively kept the attention of their foes that it was all Vette could do to line up her shots quickly enough to be of help. Vette’s hands ached from repeatedly squeezing the triggers on her blasters, and her arms screamed every time she raised them to shoulder level to shoot, but she pushed through it determinedly.

Finally, they were able to stop and catch their breath, tucked back in a corner along the outer wall of the building that was their destination. Vette rummaged in her jacket pockets and came up with a couple of protein bars and a few stims. She handed one of each to Tori, who accepted the protein bar but shrugged off the offer of the stim.

“Don’t like those. I can’t sense clearly when I use them,” she explained briefly.

Vette nodded as she jabbed herself in the thigh with one, hoping it would bolster her enough to finish the job. She dug in her pockets once more and came up with a small flask of water, which she also offered to Tori. The two wolfed down the bars and sipped at the water in silence, then Torilya spoke.

“Rest for a moment. I’ll scout ahead and see what’s waiting for us inside.”

Vette began to protest, but Tori raised a hand to shush her.

“Don’t be foolish, Vette. I have resources that you don’t, and I’m not going far. I need you to stay sharp and watch my back, not be a hero.”

Vette let loose a childish gesture, but obeyed. Tori crept away, returning shortly.

“Looks like a pretty straight shot in there, actually. Maybe we’re catching a bit of a break.”

“When you jinx us, I reserve the right to say ‘I told you so’ without getting choked.”

They quickly and quietly made their way through the lower levels of the building and up to the roof, where the landing pad supposedly would be. When they emerged onto the roof, though, it was eerily quiet, and an empty ship sat unattended. Torilya turned to Vette with a ferocious glare.

“Don’t even.”

Vette held up her hands in a gesture of surrender.

“Wasn’t gonna. Maybe we just beat him here.”

Torilya shook her head slowly.

“No. Something doesn’t feel right.”

As if on cue, her holocom chimed quietly. Tori pulled it from her pocket and answered, shooting Vette a pointed look when the image of a thin woman with an odd manner of speaking materialized.

“Wrath, I mark your position. The third of the three secret landing strips. I am Servant Eleven of the Hand. You were told to expect my call.”

“Yes. Perhaps you can explain why it is so quiet up here.” Tori ground her teeth as she spoke, clearly fighting to maintain control.

“Your third target arrived earlier than expected. I tracked his landing. I lost visual surveillance.”

“You. _Lost._ Him?” Torilya’s eyes were flashing a deadly orange now, and her knuckles turned white where she gripped her lightsaber.

“We are still working to locate Darth Vowrawn’s secret headquarters. If we have not found it, the assassin is unlikely to have found it. Your mission still has not failed.”

“No. Your mission, however, is looking very much like a failure,” Tori spat. Behind her, Vette stifled a giggle.

“We will locate the headquarters. You will still be able to meet Vowrawn. We ask for your patience. I will contact you as soon as we have learned of its location or if we learn of the assassin’s whereabouts. Rest assured the Hand knows this is of utmost importance. Eleven out.”

Tori roared in frustration as the woman’s image disappeared. Spotting a chunk of debris several feet away, she seized it with the Force and whipped it into the side of the unoccupied ship so hard that it lodged deeply within the durasteel, causing the side of the ship to buckle with the impact.

“Well, that’ll screw up his getaway, at least,” Vette quipped.

 

 


	9. Chapter 9

Quinn sat on the tiny bridge of his ship, the pouch that usually held his emergency medkit in his lap, mentally going over his plan once more. They would be docking at Balmorra soon, and he knew his time there would be limited; he must be efficient. The riskiest part was just ahead -- in his unregistered ship, he couldn’t very well just cruise into Sobrik, so they would be docking at the Republic orbital station under the guise of bringing medical supplies for the resistance. The ship’s navicomputer dinged, letting him know they were within 15 minutes of arrival, just as Melia stuck her head in the doorway.

“What’s the plan?”

“We will dock soon, and then I will go down to the surface, take care of business, and hopefully return within a few hours. However, if I do not make it back to the ship in the allotted time, you will depart on your own, and I will attempt to rendezvous with you later, assuming I am alive and free.”

“Okay, Malavai, enough of the cryptic bantha crap. Tell me what you’re doing, and I will go with you and watch your back. You know damn well I can shoot just as well as you can -- where do you think you learned it? Certainly not from Father.”

Quinn sighed heavily. “Melly…  I can’t risk it. I cannot knowingly put you in danger. I could not bear it if something happened to you, too, not after--” he broke off, swallowing hard.

Melia’s face softened on hearing her childhood nickname slip from his lips.

“Look, I get that you worry -- but you know I can fend for myself. Besides, has it occurred to you that I don’t want anything to happen to you, numbskull?”

A tight grin flickered across Malavai’s face, but it quickly soured.

“The difference is that you’ve done nothing to deserve--”

“Oh, _shut it_ ,” Melia roared. “If you’re going down there with some stupid, supposedly noble idea that if you die trying to pull off whatever it is you’re doing it will fulfill some grander purpose, I will skip the drugs this time when I knock you out, and then I will turn this ship around and ditch you on Tatooine. Do you hear me, Malavai? Enough.”

“I think they heard you on the planet’s surface,” he grumbled.

The two siblings stared each other down for a moment, neither speaking. Quinn was just opening his mouth to speak when the ship’s computer chimed again, signaling an incoming message. Quinn put a finger to his lips to indicate that Melia should stay quiet, receiving an exasperated eyeroll in return. He cleared his throat, then pressed the button to accept the call.

“Republic docking authority to unidentified cargo vessel. Please respond with valid docking authorization code.”

Quinn took a deep breath, then rattled off a code in a flawless Corellian accent, mentally sending a prayer to whatever entity might be listening that Zee had come through for him. The line was silent for a moment, then a crackle issued from the speaker.

“Code recognized and authorized. You may dock at leisure. Bay 42. Safe travels.”

Quinn exhaled shakily, then turned to see Melia looking at him quizzically. He grinned at her, visibly relieved.

“Remind me later to send Zanebi a proper gift as congratulations on her recent promotion to Cipher.”

Melia shook her head in disbelief, but she was grinning, too.

“So -- now what?” she stared at Malavai as she spoke, still unwilling to back down.

“Fine. If you insist on coming along, at least go arm yourself. I have spare blasters locked in the safe in my quarters, and you can carry one of my extra kn--” Quinn stopped short as Melia calmly opened her jacket to display two compact blasters tucked snugly into a shoulder holster. He cleared his throat again.

“I see. Well, come along, then. The six crates by the airlock are coming with us. They are ostensibly medical supplies for the resistance. We may be questioned, but I’d be surprised if we were scrutinized further. As the Republic is not supposed to officially have a presence here, my supposition is that security is likely fairly lax. I will explain the rest once we are en route to our planetside destination.”

Melia snapped a salute. “Aye, Captain.”

Quinn threaded his medkit pouch onto his belt, checked his blaster and knives, and pulled his fedora down over his head.

“Here we go, then,” he said, leading Melia to the airlock.

The two made their way through the orbital station and to the shuttle that would take them to the surface. Quinn was just about to breathe a sigh of relief when a uniformed officer approached them.

“Sorry, folks. Just need to make a quick check of your load there. Strictly procedure.”

Before Quinn could speak, Melia was stepping in front of him.

“Sorry, handsome, but I don’t get paid unless this stuff is personally delivered on time and untouched,” she drawled without a trace of an Imperial accent, sounding every bit the consummate spacer. “You know how paranoid certain folks can be. Surely a few crates of medpacks aren’t worth costing me my pay and the fuel I would have wasted getting here?” As she spoke, she treated the officer to a cheeky wink and a dazzling smile.

“Well…” the officer hedged, looking Melia over with a lack of subtlety that made Quinn’s jaw clench.

“I’ll sign whatever you need me to,” she swayed closer, fishing a datapad from the man’s jacket and handing it to him. “If I can make this delivery fast enough, I might even have time to let you buy me a drink planetside before I take off.”

The officer grinned. “Well, now, if you’re the working lady, shouldn’t you be the one buying drinks?”

Quinn let out a strangled cough. Melia threw her head back and let out a throaty chuckle as she thumped Quinn on the back.

“Moxie. I like that. Excuse my associate, here. Our last stop was Tatooine and the poor dear inhaled too much sand. All right, handsome, first round’s on me. What do you say?” she finished with a subtle, sharp jab to Quinn’s ribs.

After a few keystrokes on his datapad, the officer held it out to Melia.

“Just your name there, gorgeous. Maybe a holofrequency, too?” he leered.

Melia laughed again. “You’ll have to earn that one, darlin’,” she purred as she quickly input a name. “Are we good here, then?”

“For now,” the officer smirked, tucking the datapad back into his jacket.

“Come on, then, buster, let’s see those muscles move!” she looked at Quinn and jerked her head toward the shuttle. He glared at her as he hefted the pallet holding the crates forward, behaving as if they were heavy. Melia followed him, turning to toss a kiss over her shoulder at the officer, who grinned stupidly at her. As they settled into the shuttle, she leaned over to Quinn.

“You can thank me later for saving your backside. I’ll be patient.”

Quinn just huffed at her in reply.

 

Once the shuttle touched down on the surface, Quinn led them to a locker in the Bugtown cantina. He punched in a combination and it popped open, allowing him to pull out a few items and stash them in the inside pockets of his jacket. Then he made quick work of obtaining a rented landspeeder for them to use, and they were off, dodging the odd squad fighting nests of Colocoids. Once they were out of sight of the Republic base, Quinn slowed, quieting the engines, and spoke.

“I have need of my old office computer. It is the only machine that I can access at the moment that I am certain has the capacity to process the files Zanebi was able to procure for me and that I can safely - relatively speaking - use to send the message that I hope to be able to send once I have examined the files. The equipment on the Fury would be able to do what I need, but that is not an option, nor is simply walking into any large Imperial base given my current situation. I do not know yet what, if any, actions Baras has taken against me, and I must stay ahead of him if I am to help my lord accomplish her goal.”

“So you’re telling me we have to sneak into Sobrik?”

“Precisely. We will find a suitable place to offload these empty crates, then once we are close, we will hide the speeder. I have a stealth generator that we will use to get to my old office, and then we will have to disable the security system and possibly incapacitate anyone inside. It is highly likely I will have to kill an Imperial officer in cold blood. I warn you now, you are about to see a side of me that you are not accustomed to seeing.”

Quinn spoke brusquely without turning to look at Melia, clearly every bit the Imperial Captain only in that moment. Malavai, the man, had been left on the ship. Melia shuddered a bit, but just leaned against her brother’s strong back and nodded her understanding. Quinn opened the throttle and the speeder roared off.

A short while later, Quinn pulled the speeder into a narrow crevice in a rocky hillside a couple of klicks from Sobrik. Silently, he offered Melia a hand off, then stood and observed her for a moment.

“You can wait here,” he said quietly, but Melia was already shaking her head furiously.

“Forget it.”

“Fine. Stay close. We’ll go the whole way in under stealth. I don’t know the extent of their current security measures, but I’m willing to bet they are heightened with the recent uptick in resistance activity.”

It was slow, awkward going huddled together under the stealth field, but eventually they made it to a spot in the perimeter Quinn knew to be slightly less protected than the rest. They collectively held their breath as they made their way inside. Just as Quinn remembered, it was a hub of activity, with troops and civilians all bustling about their business, though none particularly happily. Good, he thought, we’re less likely to be identified should something go wrong. Motioning silently to Melia, he pointed them in the direction of his old office, and they slowly made their way through the crowds, careful to stay at as much of a distance as possible to avoid anyone hearing the faint buzz of their stealth generator.

All too soon, they were standing at his old door, which was sealed shut. Quinn made an exasperated face, but quietly pulled a slicing tool from a jacket pocket and went to work. Melia watched him for a moment, then, suppressing a sigh, snatched the tool out of his hand and quickly finished the job. Quinn then gestured at the security camera and held up a finger. He drew a vibroknife from his leg holster and -- so quickly that Melia barely saw his hand move -- sent it flying at the cluster of wires at the camera’s base, severing them cleanly. Returning the knife to its holster, he pointed at the camera, then held up two fingers and gestured to the door, letting Melia know there were two more cameras inside. She nodded, and together they quietly shouldered the door open and crept inside.

A young, scrawny lieutenant sat at the desk inside, his feet propped up and his head lolling over the back of his chair. A soft snore escaped his nose, and Quinn rolled his eyes at Melia, then beckoned her to follow him to a panel on the wall. He pointed at it, then up at the cameras. She nodded and took the slicing tool from him again, rendering the cameras useless in just a few quick movements. Quinn walked them back over to the doorway, gesturing that Melia should stay around the corner under stealth. She made a face at him, but nodded her agreement. Drawing his blaster, Quinn made his way back toward the desk, stepping as softly as possible, but when he was just a couple of paces away, the lieutenant woke with a start.

“Oi! Who the --”

One muffled shot rang out, and the lieutenant slumped over his desk, a small hole directly between his eyes. Melia flinched, but made her way into the office, still under stealth. Quinn, his expression inscrutable, was calmly hoisting the lieutenant’s body from the chair to rest against the wall on the floor, out of his way.

“Can you get the door resealed?” he murmured as he pulled what looked to be a high-capacity data chip from his pocket and set to work at the holoterminal.

“On it,” Melia whispered, grateful for something to do.

Quinn worked busily for several moments while Melia dealt with the door. After some doing, she was able to get it to seal, but she knew it was still vulnerable.

“Not to put pressure on you, but I can’t promise that’s going to hold,” she said quietly. Quinn grunted an acknowledgement but did not look up from his work. Feeling a bit useless, Melia crouched against the wall -- as far away from the lieutenant’s corpse as she could -- and waited quietly. Finally, Quinn let his head fall back briefly, exhaling deeply. When he brought his head level again, Melia could see a look of utter satisfaction on his face. He input a few more keystrokes, then pulled the datachip out of the terminal and pocketed it once more.

“What--” Melia started to ask, but Quinn cut her off with a sharp shake of his head, flicking his eyes around the room. Melia frowned, ready to protest, then realized he was trying to tell her that he couldn’t be sure the room wasn’t bugged. She nodded at him and leaned back against the wall again. He held up a finger, indicating he had one more thing to do before they could leave. She rolled her eyes and gave him a “get on with it” gesture, which he returned with an impolite gesture of his own in a rare display of mischievousness.  Smirking, she watched him quickly remove the memory core from the holoterminal and place it into the pouch on his belt, from which he then pulled a bundle of wire and plasteel. He carefully inserted what looked like a test tube into the middle of it, hooking a wire into the top that was also connected to an old datapad he held. Gingerly, he crouched to tuck the bundle into the empty space once occupied by the memory core, then set the datapad on top of the desk, pausing to enter a brief set of commands.

Rising, he gestured to Melia to wait by the door. He turned to face the lieutenant’s body where it lay on the floor, drew himself to attention, executed a sharp salute, then slid into parade rest and bowed his head for a brief moment. When he looked up, his lips were tightly drawn, but he otherwise looked calm. He strode to Melia quickly, taking her elbow, then switched the stealth generator on and propelled them out the door. They moved more quickly this time, and within a few moments they were clear of Sobrik’s borders and making their way back to the speeder. Just as they reached it, Quinn pulled her to a stop, turning to face the direction of his former office. Before Melia could ask what he was doing, a plume of smoke and flame erupted from the distance, and a slow smirk spread across Quinn’s face.

Mounting the speeder, they rode back to the Republic base in silence, save for the noise of the speeder’s engines. When they arrived, Quinn turned to Melia, handing her a credit stick.

“Why don’t you see if there’s anything decent to be had in that cantina while I handle the speeder? I could do with a break from ship’s rations.”

Melia grinned at him and dashed off. They made quick work of their respective errands, then made their way back to the shuttle, Melia’s arms overflowing with bags and bottles. Just as they were about to disembark on the orbital station, Quinn leaned over to speak in her ear.

“You know, you may want to hand those to me and hide yourself under the stealth generator. Your boyfriend’s likely to be looking for you.”

“He’ll recognize you, too, you know.”

“Doubtful. He never looked at my face. Pretty certain he wasn’t focused on yours, either.”

Unable to give him the smack he so richly deserved, Melia settled for an elbow to his side. When they disembarked, though, the officer from earlier was nowhere to be found.

“Men,” Melia snorted. “So fickle.”

Laughing, they hurried to the airlock and aboard the little ship. Melia went to the tiny galley to arrange the spread she’d picked up for them while Malavai got them cleared for departure and into flight. Once they were safely on their way, he joined her.  She immediately rounded on him.

“Okay. You can’t hide now -- what the hell did you do down there?”

Once again, a triumphant grin spread across Quinn’s face.

“Unless I’m mistaken, I’ve just given my lord - albeit indirectly - the last tool she needs to finish destroying Baras’s support structure. Now all she must do is continue to push and he will fall.”

 

 


	10. Chapter 10

As the last crumbs of the haul from the cantina on Balmorra disappeared, Quinn kicked back in his chair in a rather uncharacteristic sprawl, holding his glass out to Melia for a refill from one of the several bottles she’d procured. She poured him a fresh round of the thick, dark ale, topping off her own glass as well. The meal had been quiet, both siblings seemingly lost in thought. Melia couldn’t quite shake the image of the Imperial lieutenant slumping over his desk, dead before he knew what had hit him. Despite the naive, privileged image her occupation as a schoolteacher in a small private school on Dromund Kass afforded her, she was not completely unaccustomed to violence -- couldn’t be, growing up in a family full of career military and Intelligence personnel. Still, the idea that Malavai, whom she had all but raised as her own after their mother’s disappearance - and later their father’s death - despite their relatively close proximity in age, could be capable of such an act shook her. She knew it was by no means the first life he had taken, but there was something unsettling about theoretical knowledge of something like that suddenly becoming first-hand. Melia pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them, and took a long pull of her drink, then nearly jumped when she felt Malavai’s hand on her arm.

“I warned you,” he said gently.

“I know.”

A moment’s silence passed, both of them turning their attention to their drinks.

“It’s not as if I pretended to myself that you’d never shot a man before,” she finally said quietly, “but the fact that it was someone wearing the uniform you normally wear, who had sworn himself to the same cause as you, literally sitting where you once sat…”

Melia trailed off as Malavai drained the rest of his glass before running a hand through his hair, making the parts that had been smashed flat by his hat suddenly stand on end. He refilled his glass, then silently held up the bottle in offering to her. She nodded at him, and as he poured, he spoke.

“I have killed for many reasons. All of them felt justified, if not personally, then by the larger purpose I believed I served. Today was no exception, but that makes it no less regrettable. The difference, perhaps, is the driving purpose.”

Malavai paused as if searching for words, then turned to look directly into Melia’s eyes.

“That young man swore, as I did, to die for the Empire if necessary. Patriotism is a powerful master. Yet as I have learned all too well, it is too easily twisted to serve private, selfish agendas. Perhaps I am merely doing just that to justify my actions. However, I believe with all of my heart that I serve the Empire now more than ever. Now, I serve out of love, not duty. As I love her, I also believe she holds the key to the Empire’s future. Therefore, by loving her, by acting in her interests, I also serve. By killing him to aid her, I kill in the Empire’s service.”

Melia frowned. “Could that not also have been said when you attempted to kill her on Baras’s orders? Because you supposedly believed in him and acted in his interests, by killing her, you would have killed in the Empire’s service?”

“It could have.”

“I don’t understand.”

“My service to Baras was born of necessity. I was loyal to him only out of a sense of duty, as he salvaged what was left of my military career, miserable as that was. I believed that in serving him, I could continue in some small way to serve the Empire. I never pretended that he had any regard for my interests; only my skills and how they might be useful to him. However, I also did not realize how twisted and cruel -- and insane -- he truly was until it was far too late. I believed I could not extricate myself, that the damage was done...that no matter what I did, as long as I remained involved, someone I loved would be killed -- and likely not quickly or without enduring indescribable torture first.”

“So you seriously were trying to sacrifice yourself but make it look like a murder plot?”

“In a manner of speaking. I’d accepted, though, that her death was a calculated risk, and that, perhaps, was my biggest failure of all. In that sense, I did betray her.”

“How do you figure?”

“I allowed my fear of Baras to make me lose faith in her. I believed she would react to my betrayal without thought just as any other Sith would. And rather than trusting her to help find us a way out of the situation, I decided my way was best.”

Skipping the glass altogether this time, Malavai swigged directly from one of the bottles.

“In other words, I treated her like less than she is. And I don’t blame her if she never forgives me for that.”

Not knowing how to respond, Melia stood and began clearing the mess, a little unsteadily -- the two of them had made quite a dent in the supply of ale. A few moments later, the sound of Malavai giggling in his seat like a schoolgirl stopped her short.

“I do believe you are drunk, brother dear.”

“No. Well, yes. But…” he snorted, “I was just remembering how it felt to watch my office blow sky-high. Can’t ever let Pierce know I learned something from him after all.”

“Pierce? Who?”

But Malavai was lost in another fit of laughter.

* * *

Aboard the Fury, the three remaining occupants were all beginning to feel -- and behave -- a bit like caged animals. Since her confrontation with Pierce, Jaesa had mostly kept to her quarters; Pierce assumed she was sulking. Broonmark had taken to stalking Too-Vee, which was amusing for a while, but Pierce was growing weary of hearing the droid’s exclamations every time the Talz popped out of stealth and startled him. Pierce himself could do nothing but pace and check the comm every few minutes, paranoid that he’d missed a call from the surface. Vette had contacted him shortly after the Hand had notified Tori that they’d lost track of the third assassin, and she hadn’t had to say much for Pierce to understand what that setback had done for Tori’s state of mind.

Pierce was just beginning to contemplate how truly foolish it would be to ask Broonmark to spar with him when Too-Vee clattered in, a small crate in his hands.

“Master Pierce, I have completed the organization of the medbay, despite the distractions of Master Broonmark. I have here what appear to be some of Master Quinn’s personal effects. As I was informed he was no longer sharing Lord Torilya’s quarters, I was not sure where to place them.”

“Let me see.”

Too-Vee handed Pierce the box. There were only a few things inside: a very worn, old pair of gloves, what appeared to be a holoportrait unit, a wrapped parcel that felt like clothing, and two datapads. Pierce removed the datapads and handed the box back to Too-Vee.

“Find a place for that in cargo. Did you examine the datapads?”

“No, Master. Protocol would dictate that decision to be left to Lord Torilya.”

Pierce merely grunted an acknowledgement.

“Do you require anything at this time, Master Pierce?”

“No. ‘S all.”

“Very well. I shall be in the hold.” Too-Vee hesitated a moment, then spoke again. “Master Pierce, might I make a request?”

Pierce gave him a “go ahead” gesture.

“Would you perhaps ask that the Talz desist with his… exercises? They are most distracting, and my circuitry is not designed to withstand--”

“Yeah, yeah; I’ll talk to him.”

“Oh, thank you, Master!” Too-Vee bustled off.

Pierce flipped the datapads over in his hands. Tori had always been fairly adamant that the crew have their rights to privacy -- a luxury Pierce was not accustomed to coming from the military -- but he wasn’t sure Quinn deserved that luxury given recent events. One of the datapads was clearly much older than the other and had something etched on the back, though the etching had become worn and faint with time and use. The other was a standard datapad of the same type that they all carried. Setting the older one aside, Pierce powered the other on. Upon examining it, he deduced that it simply held a copy of the crew’s medical records, likely something Quinn carried with him when not working aboard ship. Slightly disappointed, he powered the datapad off and set it aside. Picking up the other, he powered it on, only to be met with a message requesting security credentials. Snorting in derision, he powered it back off, holding both in his hands as he resumed pacing.

Pierce was certain that the second pad likely held information that would shed light on the “incident,” as he’d taken to calling it in his head, but he knew it wasn’t his place to delve into it, as much as he might want to. He wasn’t sure that handing them over to Tori right away was wise, either, but he didn’t want to make it appear that he’d been holding out on her. Exhaling roughly, he carried the datapads into his quarters and tucked them under his mattress to deal with later. As he stepped back out into the corridor, Jaesa met him at his doorway, her face drawn, but her expression unusually calm.

“Lieutenant,” she greeted him coolly. “Has Broonmark finished his work on the practice dummies?”

“Think so, yeah.”

“Very well. I’ll be in the hold.” She walked off, training saber in hand.

Pierce shook his head in consternation, then went to resume his pacing in the lounge.

* * *

“Servant One to Servant Eleven. Come in, please.”

“Eleven here.”

“We have received a large encrypted file from an anonymous source, with an attached message that we believe alludes to the Wrath’s mission on Corellia. We are still decrypting the data, but we have determined that the transmission originated on Balmorra. We are not certain how the sender located us, but we have our suspicions as to the sender’s identity. Once we have decrypted the data and ascertained its validity, we will forward you further instructions. For now, maintain surveillance protocol.”

“Understood. Shall I convey this news to the Wrath?”

“Negative. She is already treacherously on edge. We mark her movements; she is assisting the Imperial war effort. She is best occupied there until we can direct her with certainty.”

“Very well. I will await instruction. Eleven out.”

Servant One disconnected, then turned to Servant Two.

“What do you make of this?”

“I sense sincerity where I once sensed conflict. Determination and regret in equal measure. The latter feeds the former. We underestimated, then and now.”

“Her, or him?”

“The latter feeds the former. We must tread carefully.”

“Notify me when you have been able to review the data.”

Servant Two inclined his head in agreement and slid back into the shadows.

 

 


	11. Chapter 11

Vette had seen Tori in enough foul moods to know that the quieter she was, the more volatile the situation. Aside from what was absolutely necessary to communicate with the personnel at the Imperial central command base in Coronet City -- and with Vette and their small strike team as they worked through clearing Republic troops from the Coronet Arms Hotel -- Tori hadn’t breathed a word since damaging the shuttle that had brought the third assassin. In a strange way, Vette was grateful: Tori’s anger was granting her focus. Her reflexes were as sharp as ever, her instincts in the field dead on. Her pace was relentless, but again Vette just pushed on, unwilling to disrupt Tori’s inertia by showing weakness.

By the time they completed their mission at the hotel and returned to base to debrief, it was well into the night. After congratulating them on a job thoroughly and efficiently done, Lord Malichose had offered them bunks at the base, but Tori refused. She and Vette had headed back to their room, unusually quietly -- Tori was still seething, and Vette was just too tired to talk. But when they arrived, Tori said something that surprised Vette.

“You’re welcome to stay here if you wish, but I believe I will head back to the Fury for a while. I do not believe we will hear from the Hand tonight, and I want my own bed and some decent caff for a change.”

“Music to my ears,” Vette replied wearily. “I’ll go get our stuff.”

Tori merely nodded, pulling out her holocom. As Vette hurried off to get the few things they’d left behind in the room, Tori placed a call to the Fury. Jaesa’s image materialized almost immediately.

“Master,” she greeted Tori.

“Hello, Jaesa. Vette and I are preparing to return to the ship for a brief rest; I just wanted to let you know to expect us.”

Surprise flickered across Jaesa’s features, but she composed herself quickly.

“Very well, Master. Is everything all right?”

“We are fine,” Tori’s tone was clipped and invited no further questions.

Jaesa merely nodded. “Lieutenant Pierce is sleeping. Shall I wake him to alert him?”

“No, that won’t be necessary. Just make sure Broonmark does not mistake us for intruders.”

“Indeed, Master. We’ll see you shortly.”

Jaesa disconnected. Tori stood in place for a moment, her brow furrowed. Her apprentice was not normally inclined to speak so demurely or with such brevity; it was disconcerting, though not entirely unwelcome. Vette’s voice broke into her thoughts before she could ponder the situation further.

“Only thing left is the dust bunnies. Let’s get out of here.”

Silently, Tori took some of the load from the exhausted Twi’lek, and together they shuffled off toward the lift that would take them to their ship’s airlock.

* * *

 

As soon as Jaesa disconnected, she turned around to find a bleary-eyed Pierce looming over her.

“Master and Vette are returning to the ship,” she said simply.

“She -- they -- okay?” he barked hoarsely.

Jaesa shrugged. “She says they’re fine. I sense anger and frustration in her, but she is in control.”

Pierce nodded. “You go tell Broonmark; I’ll go power up the damn droid. Sure they’ll need repairs.”

No sooner than Too-Vee had whirred off to “fluff our Lord’s pillows” (Pierce barely choked back a laugh at that), the sound of the security code being entered at the airlock summoned Pierce and Jaesa to greet their lord and shipmate. The two women stumbled in, both dropping their loads immediately, causing Too-Vee to nearly trip over himself in his haste to gather the mess. Pierce extended a hand to each of them, pulling them out of the droid’s path. Tori gave him a tight smile, then mumbled something about wanting to clean up and hastily retreated for the refresher. Jaesa disappeared to the galley, and Pierce pulled Vette over to the sofa to sit.

“You look like hell,” he said with a frown.

“I passed exhausted a few dozen kills ago,” Vette replied dryly.

“I’m serious. You need to rest. Go lie down in the medbay; I want Too-Vee to check you over.”

“Yeah, yeah, I will. Look, coming back here tonight was her idea, and I’m glad of it, but she is seriously pissed and… and I don’t know what. She’s barely said a word since the call from the Hand.”

“I’ll handle it. Go.”

Vette opened her mouth as if to make a snappy retort, but a huge yawn cut it short. She just stood and shuffled off, visibly limping, Too-Vee hot on her heels.

Unsure whether he should go check on Tori, Pierce sat on the edge of the sofa, ready to spring, though he wasn’t quite sure to what end. Just as he decided he would risk going to check on her, Tori appeared, obviously having freshened up and dressed in clean sleep clothes. Silently, she sat next to Pierce, drawing her legs underneath her. He decided to just take his cues from her, opting to offer her a smile rather than beginning to ask questions. Before more than a minute passed, Jaesa reappeared, carrying a tray.

“I thought you might be in need of refreshment, Master,” she offered. “I’ve prepared some tea, or there’s cold water here, or some wine.”

“Thank you, Jaesa,” Tori said, struggling to keep her tone neutral. “Water would be lovely.”

Jaesa poured her a glass, then looked around.

“Where is Vette?”

Pierce spoke up. “Sent her to the medbay for a scan, just in case. Think she’s pretty exhausted.” Tori visibly winced at that.

“I’ll look in on her.”

Jaesa left the room, leaving Tori free to give Pierce a baffled look. Pierce shrugged. Another moment’s silence passed between them before Tori finally spoke.

“I’m afraid I’ve interrupted your sleep again, Lieutenant.”

Pierce barked a laugh. “Haven’t slept worth a damn since you left the ship.”

Tori looked at him evenly, then stood and extended her hand to him. He looked at her quizzically, but allowed her to pull him to his feet and lead him to his quarters. She nudged him onto his bunk, then bent to drop a kiss on top of his head. As she straightened, he caught her wrist.

“Stay? No funny business.”

She started to hesitate, but exhaled shakily and nodded once, sinking down onto the bunk next to him. He gathered her into his arms, tucking her against him firmly, and within moments, they both were sound asleep.

Too-Vee was finishing his scan of Vette when Jaesa stuck her head in the medbay door.

“Mistress Jaesa, I have concluded that Mistress Vette is suffering from exhaustion, soreness from general overexertion, and complications from minor overuse of stims. She requires rest. I have administered a muscle relaxer and a pain reliever, but she has refused a sedative.”

“Thank you, Too-Vee. I’ll take it from here.”

Vette attempted to haul herself to a sitting position.

“The hell you will; I’ll end up your punching bag.”

Jaesa put a hand out in a placating gesture.

“Relax. I just brought you something to drink.”

Warily, Vette accepted the glass of water Jaesa offered.

“Uh, thanks.”

Jaesa hesitated, then took a deep breath before speaking very rapidly.

“If you’d like, I can try to use the Force to help you recover a bit. I’m no healer, but I may be able to speed your body’s natural recovery processes along a little.”

Vette stared at her incredulously for a beat before responding.

“Um, okay, I guess? Just don’t, like, go rooting around in my thoughts or whatever.”

Jaesa rolled her eyes. “I’m not that desperate for entertainment,” she said, a hint of the usual acidity creeping back into her tone. “Lie back and relax.”

Vette sank back onto the bunk, forcing herself to close her eyes. Jaesa bowed her head for a moment, centering herself, then placed her hands gently on Vette’s shoulders. A dim, brief flare of Force aura surrounded them both. Exhaling deeply, Jaesa sank to the floor beside the bunk, temporarily sapped of energy. She sat quietly for several minutes, and by the time she was ready to stand and go back to her station at the comm, Vette was sleeping soundly, the bruises on her arms already a little faded.

* * *

“Servant Eleven to Servant One.”

“We read you, Eleven.”

“I have established visual surveillance on the coordinates you uploaded. I confirm that they are indeed in Republic-occupied territory.”

“Excellent. We are uploading what we believe are floorplans for the tower in question. Please survey and determine whether they are a reasonable match per your visual assessment. If so, launch stealth probe droids. Though you have the advantage of the cover of night, take no chances”

“Understood. I will report back shortly. Eleven out.”

* * *

Jaesa paced in the eerie stillness that enveloped the Fury. She reached out with the Force, sensing the others mostly peacefully sleeping. She could feel Pierce’s aura blending with Tori’s and knew that they slept together -- literally, if not figuratively. She felt Vette’s deep slumber and knew that all of her body’s resources were devoted to healing. She even sensed Broonmark actually at rest, a rare occurrence. And yet Jaesa herself could not rest, and she did not truly understand why. She felt an uneasiness that she knew wasn’t directly tied to her own emotions, and yet she couldn’t pinpoint a source. Sighing, she forwarded incoming comm traffic to her personal unit once again and began flipping through holovids on the ship’s main terminal, the sounds of Too-Vee cleaning and repairing Tori and Vette’s combat gear becoming white noise in the background. Landing on an old slapstick comedy, she settled onto the sofa, comm in hand, and prepared to wait out the night.

* * *

Malavai was snoring heavily, his head tilted over the headrest of his chair at an angle that made Melia wince. She’d begun alternating her drinks with water some hours ago, but was still far more inebriated than she remembered being in years; Malavai had simply continued to mainline ale at an alarming pace, which was most unlike him. She knew that he’d made considerable progress in recent days, but she also knew that this little errand they had just run -- and its consequences -- had cost him dearly, despite his initial bravado. She debated trying to wake him and get him into bed, but instead decided to let him be, leaving a tall glass of water and a prepped painkiller stim by his elbow on the table. Carrying the same for herself, she staggered off to bed, ready to leave the day behind her.

* * *

As dawn began to rise over Corellia, the occupants of the Fury mostly remained at rest --- Jaesa was asleep on the lounge sofa, still clutching her comm in one hand, her queue of holovids still blaring away. Vette was out cold in the medbay thanks to the muscle relaxers and Jaesa’s work, and Tori slept soundly in Pierce’s arms; his beefy hand had slid up under her camisole to wrap around her ribcage, and their legs had intertwined at some point in the night. She stirred in her sleep, her movement just enough to pull Pierce to the precipice of consciousness. He tightened his grip on her, nuzzling her neck with his scruffy face, his lips dragging along the top of her shoulder. Sighing, she still didn’t wake, but yet responded to him, pressing her body into his. His breath hitched in his throat as he awoke more fully, stilling his movements abruptly once he realized she was still essentially asleep, but not releasing his hold on her. She arched against him, exposing her neck; he inhaled sharply, his fingertips digging into her ribcage as he struggled to maintain control. The pressure of his fingers woke her; her eyes fluttered open and his gaze met hers.

Pierce rolled slightly so that he was looking down at Tori, her head nestled into the crook of his elbow. Swallowing hard, he moved the hand that was wrapped around her ribs to cup her face, sweeping his thumb across her cheek. Still sleepy, she turned into his touch, letting her lips press into his palm carelessly, and the tenuous grasp on self-control Pierce had snapped. He dipped his head to kiss her deeply, his teeth grazing her lower lip. She gasped and pressed into him briefly, then pushed back to look at him.

“Pierce, I don’t know… I mean, I can’t…” she whispered hoarsely, for once at a loss for words.

“I know,” he murmured, sweeping the tip of his nose up the side of her neck. “But let me anyway,” he breathed in her ear.”

Her resolve crumbling, Tori snaked her arms around his neck, giving herself over to sensation as he shifted to cover her body with his, reveling in the feel of his bulk surrounding her.

Jaesa snapped awake, feeling the spike of lust course through the ship.

“Gods damn it,” she grumbled, rolling over to face the back of the sofa and pulling a throw pillow over her head.

* * *

“Servant Eleven to Servant One. Surveillance complete. Uploading report now.”

“Receiving transmission. Your mission appears to be a success, Eleven. Conferring with Servant Two now. Hold the line.”

Servant Two glanced over the holoterminal’s display and gave a satisfied nod.

“Yes. All is as it seems. The betrayer seeks redemption. His role is not complete.”

Servant One gave the display a cursory glance, then nodded at Two. Servant Two took the comm.

“Eleven, this is Two. Your mission is a success. You may contact the Wrath then return to base. Her destiny awaits.”

“Very well. Eleven out.” 

* * *

A shrill beeping pulled Tori from sleep. Fumbling for her holocomm unit in the pile of her clothing on the floor, she pulled the sheet up to cover her bare chest and shot Pierce an apologetic look as he struggled to a sitting position next to her. Turning so that only the wall was visible behind her, she pushed the button to accept the call. Servant Eleven’s waifish, hooded figure shimmered into view.

“Wrath. We have located Darth Vowrawn’s secret headquarters. Uploading coordinates. He is operating in hostile territory: A massive tower in the heart of Incorporation Island. All Republic controlled. Amazing.”

“The man is daring; I’ll give him that,” Torilya yawned, still fighting sleep.

“Yes. He orchestrates the war against the Republic right under their very noses. His operations must be disguised as Republic.”

“Obviously.” Torilya barely suppressed an eyeroll.

“However, I must caution you. If I have found him, Darth Baras’s assassin may have as well…. Hold. …Yes. I will convey it. Eleven out.

“Servant Two has spoken to me. He says to be ready for suspicion.”

“You mean I can’t just wander into Republic territory and then expect people to take my word that I’m there to make friends?” Tori drawled sarcastically.

“You misunderstand. Darth Vowrawn will be hard to convince. You should prepare for battle once you infiltrate his headquarters. My mission is complete. I am recalled. The Hand hopes you find Darth Vowrawn before the assassin strikes.”  

Servant Eleven cut the transmission. Tori sighed heavily.

“These Hand people are never as useful as they seem to think they are,” she remarked with derision.

Pierce chuckled, laying an open-mouthed kiss on her bare shoulder.

“Guess you better get dressed if you’re going to go make nice with a suspicious Darth,” he murmured.

“Right,” she grumbled, hauling herself out of bed and pulling her sleep clothes back on. Once she was dressed, she stepped back over to where he sat propped up in bed, taking his hand.

“Pierce, I…” she trailed off as he reached up to shush her.

“Don’t need to talk now. Let me get dressed and I’ll help you get prepped.”

She shot him a grateful look, then bent to kiss him quickly before ducking out of his quarters in search of her armor.

Ten minutes later, Tori was fully dressed in combat gear and ready to go. She crept into the medbay and her heart sank a little at seeing how pale Vette looked, still sound asleep in the bunk there. Jaesa stepped up alongside her, handing her a cup of steaming caff.

“She should be feeling better once she wakes, Master. Too-Vee gave her muscle relaxers and painkillers, and I tried to use the Force to help speed the healing process -- which should have deepened her sleep,” Jaesa murmured.

Tori turned to look at her apprentice. “Jaesa… I have not been as available to you of late, and I want you to know that once Baras is dealt with, I--”

Jaesa cut her off. “Master, you don’t need to concern yourself with me at the moment. I… I do need guidance, but I swear to you that I will do nothing to jeopardize your current mission, no matter what happens.”

Tori turned to her apprentice, gently grasping her by the hand.

“I trust you to be Pierce’s backup, and he will have need of you, of your special abilities. Of that I’m certain.”

Jaesa nodded. “I will be ready.”

Tori squeezed Jaesa’s hand, then stepped into the medbay to wake Vette. Rather than using the Force to lift her, Tori sat on the edge of the bunk and gently touched Vette’s shoulder. Vette shot upright, but seemed to gain her wits more quickly than normal.

“Ugh. What’s happening?”

“The Hand called. They have a bead on Vowrawn’s headquarters. Think you can be ready in twenty minutes? We’re still ostensibly racing an assassin.”

“Yeah, yeah… just give me a sec and I’m good.” Vette rubbed her eyes and stretched, still obviously tired, but hauled herself to her feet.

“I’ll grab you some caff,” Tori said, ducking out of the room.

Jaesa regarded Vette coolly. “How are you feeling?”

Vette sighed. “Tired. But I’ll deal. It’ll be better once I’m up and moving.”

Jaesa nodded. Vette turned to her awkwardly.

“Hey, thanks for the, uh, Force boost last night. I don’t feel quite as much like I’ve been run over by a herd of banthas.”

“You’re welcome.”

Vette ducked her head in an awkward gesture of thanks, then slid out of the room, yelling for Too-Vee to bring her leathers. Rolling her eyes, Jaesa made her way to her quarters, hoping to catch some sleep now that everyone else was up.

Twenty minutes later, Vette, Tori, and Pierce stood at the ship’s airlock. Tori and Vette were fully decked in combat gear and carrying extra ammo, rations, and medpacks. Pierce grabbed Vette in a quick headlock first, chucking her on the chin as he pulled back.

“Watch her back, shrimp.”

Vette gave him a good-natured shove. “Yeah, yeah.”

Tori looked up at Pierce. “Comm you when we’ve gotten through to the Darth,” she rasped, suddenly inexplicably uneasy.

Pierce swept her into a fast hug, holding her tightly for a moment. “You’ve got this,” he murmured in her ear.

She nodded against his shoulder. He released her.

“Go get ‘em,” he grinned at her rakishly. Tori smiled back despite herself, then looped her arm through Vette’s.

“Ready?” she asked.

“Let’s do this!” Vette chirped.

 

 


	12. Chapter 12

Little was said as Torilya and Vette made their way to the fringes of the Republic-occupied territory where the Hand had ostensibly located Darth Vowrawn’s headquarters. Upon arrival, Vette’s stomach did a slow roll at the number of Republic forces she could see patrolling about.

“Good thing I brought extra power packs,” she sighed.

Tori looked at her sharply.

“Are you ready?” she asked, pointedly but not unkindly.

“On your lead,” Vette replied, drawing her blasters.

Pausing only a second to collect her energy, Torilya was off, sending her saber arcing in one direction to strike one guard even as she leapt into a group of others standing several meters away. She landed with a mighty stomp, Force energy crackling on the ground around her and momentarily stunning the Republic troopers as her saber neatly returned to her grasp. As Tori whirled and slashed, Vette brought the lone trooper down with a couple of quick, clean shots, then turned her attention to the group Tori was seemingly dancing with. Seconds later, it was over, and they were back in the shadows, making their way to the next group.

After what seemed like hours, they finally made their way into the tower, only to be met by a man in what Vette thought she recognized as Republic Captain’s insignia who looked less than thrilled to see them.

“Ah -- Sith, are you lost?” he boomed overdramatically. “You’re in a Republic-aligned corporate headquarters!”

Vette snorted as Tori heaved a sigh.

“Your accent is poking through, fool,” the Sith hissed impatiently.

“I, uh, don’t know what you’re talking about,” the captain hedged, then raised his voice exaggeratedly once again. “The consortium of corporations has cameras in every corporate lobby, so we are being observed by the Empire’s enemies as we speak. A Sith comes in here, he’s gonna meet resistance, so, uh... we’re gonna have to kill you.”

“Stop. Pretending. You are getting on my nerves,” Tori ground out, her eyes narrowed.

The captain hesitated a moment, seemingly gathering his nerve.

“Really sorry -- just can’t do that,” he choked out.

“You idiot,” Vette moaned, already reaching for her blasters in anticipation.

“Sound the alarm!” the captain shouted, bringing a handful of troops running in from other rooms.

Tori shook her head as she made a shoving motion with her hand, sending the captain sailing backwards to knock over his reinforcements. Vette held her blasters ready, waiting to see if they would continue to press the issue. When the captain hauled himself up and joined the other men in opening fire, Tori rushed them, lightsaber aloft, and it was Vette’s turn to shake her head as she lined up her first shot.

“Definitely an idiot,” she grumbled, her blasters whining through their charging cycle.

Once the men were down, Tori eyed the force field blocking them from venturing further into the building, but Vette was already patting down the captain’s corpse.

“Gotcha!” she exclaimed, brandishing a small datapad. “Gotta be codes on this thing…” she muttered as her fingers flew over it.

Tori stalked over to the control panel, rolling her lightsaber hilt in her hand.

“I see you, Wrathy One, just hold up a sec… Got it!”

Vette rushed over and gently nudged Tori out of the way with her hip. Working quickly, she input the codes, and the force field released.

“See? Don’t always have to just smash things that are in your way.”

Tori ignored her, pushing ahead quickly.

“Left the sense of humor on the ship today. Noted,” Vette muttered, trotting along behind her.

They’d only made it down a couple short hallways before Tori suddenly stopped short, nearly causing Vette to smack into her back. A short, wiry Zabrak stood between them and yet another force field, lightsaber drawn.

“So, Baras’s most deadly apprentice has finally found us. My Master has been on to you from the beginning,” he sneered.

A slow, sardonic smirk spread across Tori’s face.

“Please, enlighten me,” she said, a bit too politely.

“Vowrawn can smell Baras’s ploys a thousand light years away. He knows the rift between you and your master is a ruse, painstakingly orchestrated to get you close enough to strike. So drop the act.”

The Zabrak paced before them as he spoke, puffing up his chest as he toyed with his lightsaber. Vette bit her lower lip hard in an attempt to keep from guffawing at the absurdity of his display. She could feel Tori’s annoyance building to a point she knew to be dangerous -- almost enough to make her feel sorry for the poor little guy.

Tori sighed.

“You won’t believe anything I say, will you?”

“Say that you’re Baras’s stooge, and I’ll believe you.”

_Oh, shit._ Vette couldn’t stop herself from cringing at that. She surreptitiously shifted her hands to her hips, ready to draw her blasters, and cast a sideways glance at Tori: She had completely stilled at the Zabrak’s words, her nostrils visibly flaring with each shallow breath. Her posture was no longer relaxed; every muscle was coiled in preparation to strike. The Zabrak, however, either didn’t notice or was truly unaware of how outmatched he was as he continued to goad her.

“But either way, I have to kill you.”

He crouched and sprang.

“Die, assassin!” he hissed as he took his first swipe at Torilya, who parried his attack effortlessly.

The Zabrak continued to hack away at Tori, who merely kept parrying and dodging, lobbing the occasional halfhearted strike -- but did not go on the offensive.

_She’s toying with him_ , Vette realized as she darted aside, bracing herself to shoot. She took her time aligning what would be her first shot, charged up her blasters, and waited, not sure exactly what Tori’s plan was. Quickly, though, it became obvious: The Zabrak, believing Tori was purely on the defensive because he had the upper hand, kept slashing and stabbing, but he was clearly beginning to tire. Before long, his movements slowed and became sloppy, and Tori saw her window. Lifting him in the air with the Force, she held her lightsaber to his chin for a split second.

“I am no one’s stooge,” she spat, then her blade ripped through him in one clean sweep. The Zabrak crumpled lifelessly to the floor; Tori stepped over him delicately and turned to give Vette an expectant look. She quickly holstered her blasters and scrambled to the fallen Sith, trying not to pay attention to his mangled form as she searched for the codes that would get them through the next force field. Finding them quickly, she hurried to override the force field. They found themselves in a large, empty room. Tori stopped, pulling out her datapad and examining the floorplan the Hand had sent along with the tower’s coordinates.

“Should be a lift on the opposite wall…” she murmured just as Vette spotted it.

They hurried to the lift, disembarking at the penthouse suite. Once again, they were met by a welcoming party -- this time a hulking human Sith, flanked by two others. Tori wasted no time.

“Where is Darth Vowrawn?” Her voice echoed in the large space.

“You’ll never find out, scum. You defeated Lord Haresh, but you can’t overcome the three of us at once,” the large Sith snarled, unaware that as he spoke, a distinguished-looking Pureblood was calmly making his way into the room behind him.

“Stop,” the Pureblood commanded. “Lord Qet, stand down.”

Lord Qet drew his saber.

“My lord, retreat into the shadows! We will stop this assassin,” he cried, clearly thinking himself quite the hero.

“Sensing a pattern here,” Vette muttered out of the side of her mouth to Tori. “Overcompensating much?”

The barest hint of a smile flickered across Tori’s face.

“There could be ten of you, and you would fail. Leave us,” the Pureblood said, clearly exasperated.

Tori’s smile was full-blown this time.

“Oh, I don’t care if they’re here,” she said breezily.

The Pureblood turned his full attention to Torilya.

“Spare them. They pose no threat to you or your master. I applaud you. Convey my congratulations to your master for his superior gameplay. The kill is yours.  I ask only that I not suffer the indignity of decaptitation.”

Tori paused a moment before speaking very slowly, almost as if she were speaking to a small child.

“I’ve been sent by the Emperor’s Hands to ensure your safety, Vowrawn. Baras is not my master. My mission is to bring him down.”

The Darth and Tori stared one another down for several moments. Vette had just begun shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other when Vowrawn finally broke the silence.

“Nothing more can be gained from maintaining the deception,” he mused quietly, then looked at Tori for another moment before a chuckle escaped his throat.

“Ah! If this is true, then the game is renewed!”

Just as Vette thought he might actually clap his hands with glee, a thermal grenade rolled into the room.  Both Tori and Qet sprang into action, Qet shielding the Darth and Tori charging toward the source -- a bounty hunter, Vette guessed by the armor.

“Darth Vowrawn,” the hunter drawled, “Darth Baras says you gotta die.”

Vette quickly discharged several blaster rounds into the hunter’s back as Tori kept him busy, and the two women had him down before Lord Qet could gather his wits enough to charge into the fight. Once she was satisfied that the hunter was dead, Tori sauntered casually back over to where Darth Vowrawn stood, his expression bemused.

“That assassin had me dead to rights,” he said incredulously. “You did not hesitate to defend me. My friend, I am convinced. What’s more, I believe that with my help, you can defeat Darth Baras.”

“I was hoping you would say that,” Tori replied, the underlying sarcasm probably only obvious to Vette.

“Then I have a little confession to make. It is true that I am here to lead our important war effort -- but there are other reasons I chose Corellia. Significant pillars of Baras’s power base are here, and together, we can tear them down.”

Tori thought for a moment before responding.

“I am, of course, interested in any chance to hurt Baras. But he will make more attempts on your life. You must relocate to my ship where my crew can protect you.”

“Far be it from me to defy you,” said Vowrawn with a smirk, raising his hands in mock surrender. “My protection here has taken a... recent hit.”

Tori nodded, then turned to Vette to indicate that she should contact Pierce to let him know to expect company.

“But --” Vowrawn interrupted, “before I go, let me guide you. Most of the Dark Council knows Baras is not the Emperor’s true Voice, but Baras’s  top two agents force them to support his bid. One agent safeguards secrets that he uses as leverage. The other leads Jedi Masters in campaigns against Sith who defy him. Now, if they were to disappear…”

“My former master is left high and dry, yes,” Tori said impatiently, at which Vowrawn raised an eyebrow in amusement. “What do I need to do and where do I need to go?”

“Baras’s first undercover agent is posing as Colonel Senks of the Corellian resistance. His stronghold is a labyrinth of secret passages. Unless you scramble the security codes before laying siege, he’ll be able to escape through a dozen different escape tunnels.”

“No worries there,” said Tori with a nod in Vette’s direction. “What about the other agent?”

“My operative is uncovering the identity and location of the Jedi infiltrator. I expect results soon. For now, Senks is your target.”

Vowrawn paused a moment, looking a little wistful.

“In truth, Senks is a fantastic resource -- it would be a shame to lose an agent of his caliber.”

Tori frowned.

“Do you think it possible to truly compel him to denounce Baras -- and be trusted to join you?”

“If anyone can, I’m sure it is you, my dear,” Vowrawn said with a chuckle.

“We shall see,” Tori said, not sounding convinced.

“Indeed,” agreed Vowrawn. “My apprentices and I will report to your ship now. The minute I can point you to the second of Baras’s agents, I will.”

“You will not be reporting alone, my lord. Vette and I will escort you. Your safety is still in my hands, and the information I need is still in yours.”

“Fair enough, young one. Just one moment while I secure us a passage out of here.”

Vowrawn busied himself briefly at a holoterminal, then gestured to Tori to lead on.

“Lord Qet, if you would bring up the rear,” Tori said icily, leading the group toward the lift and elbowing Vette sharply in the ribs on hearing the girl titter.

Qet slid in behind Vowrawn, grumbling under his breath. Vowrawn let his steps slow just enough to walk alongside his apprentice for a moment.

“Lots of fire in that one, eh? I quite like her,” he murmured in Qet’s ear, then quickened his pace before his apprentice could see the smirk on his face, but not before he heard the slew of profanity Qet let fly.

“All right, my lord?”

Tori looked over her shoulder.

“Oh yes, my dear. Just fine,” Vowrawn replied cheerily. “Just fine, indeed.”

* * *

Pierce and Jaesa were waiting at the airlock when Tori and her little party returned to the ship. Too-Vee fluttered about frantically, entreating Darth Vowrawn to call on him “absolutely any time, my lord; I am at your service for whatever you may need whenever you may need it! I am --”

“ _Yes_ , Too-Vee, thank you,” Torilya broke in loudly. “Please see to making our guests comfortable.”

Too-Vee shot off to convert the cargo hold into temporary quarters for the apprentices.

“Now, my lord,” Tori said to Darth Vowrawn, “you will bunk in my quarters, and--”

“I am a lucky man,” Vowrawn said with a smirk, rendering Tori momentarily speechless and eliciting a low growl from Pierce.

Tori cleared her throat.

“Right; Broonmark?” she called out, and the Talz slunk forward from where he’d been lurking in the corner. “You are to be personally responsible for Darth Vowrawn’s safety while I am planetside. You are not to let anyone close enough to this man to harm him unless I tell you otherwise. Understood?”

Broonmark warbled in agreement, stepping over to the Darth and taking a post just off the back of his shoulder. Vowrawn sighed.

“I appreciate your concern, but I do not believe I need--”

“Please, my lord. I need to be assured of your safety at all times, and no one will guarantee that better than Broonmark.”

Tori thought for a moment, then amended her earlier command to the Talz.

“If the Darth is secure in his quarters, Broonmark, you need not be in there with him. I do want you monitoring the door, however.”

Broonmark chuffed again.

“Now, please do make yourself comfortable. You’ll find my crew is highly capable -- and trustworthy -- if there is anything you should need. Lieutenant Pierce is my second-in-command and one of the finest Imperial officers I’ve ever knows; Jaesa, my apprentice, is extremely gifted in the Force; Vette, as you’ve seen, is a damn fine shot and an expert slicer; and as I’ve mentioned, Broonmark is the absolute best in--” she fumbled for a moment “-- security.”

Darth Vowrawn nodded at each crew member as Tori made the introductions. Just as she finished, Too-Vee rattled back through, evidently taking the apprentices on a tour of the ship.

“You’ve met Too-Vee,” Tori said dryly, “but I did not mention that he also currently oversees the crew’s medical needs.”

“Oh,” Darth Vowrawn said with mild surprise, “you do not have a medic aboard?”

Tori squared her shoulders, steadfastly avoiding meeting any of her crew’s eyes.

“Our medic is… away on a mission at the moment,” she said stiffly.

“Ah. Well, I’m sure your droid is perfectly adequate for day-to-day needs. Now, if I may be so bold -- perhaps a drink?”

“Of course. Jaesa, would you mind?” Tori gave her apprentice a meaningful look.

Jaesa stepped forward.

“If you’ll follow me, my lord,” she said demurely, casually reaching out to touch Vowrawn’s elbow to lead him to the lounge.

“Think I’ll take this opportunity to clean up, maybe catch a quick nap.” said Vette. “Yell if you need me.”

Tori nodded at her, then turned to face Pierce.

“Progress, then?” he asked quietly.

“I believe so. Still yet more hoops to jump through, apparently,” she said, her tone acidic. “Jaesa should be able to tell me what she can sense soon. I have no reason to believe he isn’t who or what he claims. His motives, though…” Tori shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine.”

“What’s next?”

“I’ll be headed back to the surface soon to track down the last two of Baras’s operatives, one of whom we have located -- or so I’m told -- and the other Vowrawn’s operatives are still tracking. He may request access to the ship’s computers; let him do what he needs… but see if you can quietly track it.”

“Understood.”

Pierce hesitated, then pulled Tori toward his quarters.

“Got a minute? Just a quick word.”

“Of course.”

They stepped into his quarters; Pierce quietly closing the door behind them. He stood before her, clearly on edge.

“Just spit it out, Pierce.”

“Look, I -- I wanted to apologize for last night, or this morning, or whatever. Got caught up in a moment -- hard to wake up next to you and not,” he grinned at her ruefully. “Anyway, just wanted you to know. Not going to push anything on you. Hell, not even sure what there is to push, aside from the obvious. But… I do care, y’know,” he finished gruffly.

“I know. And so do I; you know that. You’ve nothing to apologize for, anyway. I certainly wasn’t unwilling. But it is likely wise if we… avoid that kind of situation for at least the near future.” Tori laid a hand on Pierce’s arm. “But thank you, Pierce, for your consideration, and -- well, everything.”

“‘S nothing,” he mumbled, but pulled her in to drop a kiss on her head. “We good, then?”

“Of course, Pierce.”

Tori stood quietly for a moment, obviously deep in thought.

“Something on your mind?”

She looked up at Pierce, her eyes troubled.

“I… I think I’ve got to bring the Captain back,” she mumbled.

Pierce inhaled sharply.

“With Vowrawn on the ship, and Baras no doubt learning of all his assassin’s failures, we are at increased risk of attack, and I cannot assume Too-Vee will be able to handle any serious injuries, especially if Force use is involved. I don’t know of any other medics with his skill. And I don’t have time to go searching. If I have Broonmark covering the Darth, and you and Jaesa monitor all ship’s communications…”

“We can handle it, don’t worry,” Pierce said grimly. “All the bastard needs to do is give me one reason.”

“I know I can trust you,” Tori replied quietly. “I’m not asking you to like this, or to be anything beyond civil and cooperative. I just… I feel it has to be done.”

“Then it will.”

Tori exhaled shakily, then looked up at Pierce, a forced grin on her face.

“We still good?”

“Of course, Tori.”

"I'll be on the bridge - that will do for my quarters while our guests are aboard."

She slid the hand that had been resting on his arm down to squeeze his hand, then stepped out. Pierce sank onto his bunk, dropping his head into his hands.

“Bloody hell,” he muttered at the floor.

 

 


	13. Chapter 13

After taking advantage of Darth Vowrawn’s impromptu cocktail hour with Jaesa to gather some of her clothing and belongings and leaving her armor with Too-Vee for cleaning and repair, Torilya sealed herself in on the Fury’s bridge. Her decision to recall Quinn made, she still couldn’t quite bring herself to place the call just yet, though she knew time was not a luxury she had. There was the question of his passenger, as well -- quarters on the Fury were already tight with the addition of the Darth and his apprentices. Furthermore, she wasn’t sure having Quinn’s ship rendezvous with the Fury directly was wise, either. While she realized she would not be able to keep Baras in the dark for long as to Vowrawn’s whereabouts, she also did not want to risk doing anything to potentially make the connection easy for him. Quinn had said he did not believe he was being tracked, and at one time, she would have trusted his instincts without question.

One thing at a time, she reminded herself, closing her eyes and sliding into the captain’s seat. She sat quietly for several minutes, gathering what was left of her energy and carefully compartmentalizing the varying emotions threatening to overwhelm her control: That which she could use, she allowed to remain; that which was a distraction, she tucked away. Once she felt reasonably centered, she pulled herself fully upright in her chair and drew her comm from her pocket.

_Problem-solving. Doing what needs to be done._

She placed a call.

* * *

Malavai surreptitiously massaged his temples while Melia took her time over her next move in the game of holochess she’d wheedled him into playing. Despite having been up and around for several hours, the aftereffects of his binge the previous evening were still very much present.

“I still can’t believe you have this old thing,” he murmured, watching the images of the pieces flicker unsteadily.

She shrugged, finally making her move.

“Never know when you might want a game to pass the time.”

He chuckled mirthlessly, but before he could respond, the sound of his personal comm chirping brought him out of his seat in surprise. Melia leaned back in hers, watching him in amusement as he frantically tried to smash his still-chaotic hair into place with one hand while pulling the comm out of his pocket to answer. Torilya’s image stuttered into focus.

“Captain. Wrath here. I am calling to notify you that you are being recalled to the Fury due to a change of circumstances in my mission. Instructions for rendezvous forthcoming. Do not alter your current path as yet.”

It took every bit of energy Malavai had to keep his knees from giving, but he stood straight.

“Understood. I will begin making preparations at once while I await further instruction.”

He hesitated, unsure of how to ask his next question. She noticed at once.

“Speak, Quinn,” Torilya barked.

“Yes, my lord.” Realizing his mistake too late, he decided to simply press on. “Should I begin looking into other arrangements for my passenger?”

Melia snorted from her seat.

“Hold off on that, Captain. I do not believe that will be necessary at this juncture.”

“Very good, sir.”

“Indeed. I will be in touch again soon with instructions. Wrath out.”

Malavai sank back down into his seat as he disconnected..

“Sounds like I get to meet your girlfriend,” Melia said. “That, or she’s planning on killing me to get me out of the way.”

Malavai frowned at her.

“Your timing with jokes is still terrible. And I hardly think calling her my ‘girlfriend’ at this point in time is appropriate. Please promise me you will --”

_“Yes_ , Malavai, I will behave; stop worrying. And for goodness’s sake, get it together. You’re as white as can be. Isn’t this what you’ve been wanting? To get back to her side?”

“Yes, but…”

“But nothing. Go clean yourself up and start packing. I’ll bring you something to eat and some caff.”

Much to her surprise, Malavai simply turned and headed for the refresher without a word.

* * *

_One down. Next one is easier._

As soon as Tori disconnected with Quinn, she punched in another holofrequency.

“Hello, Dad,” she said quietly once the image rendered.

Andronikos Revel couldn’t quite hide his surprise at his daughter’s appearance. “Tori, hon. What’s up?”

“Oh, you know. Posturing and murder and mayhem, all that Sithy stuff,” she said dryly.

Nikos smirked at her. “Atta girl. I’m guessing it’s too much to hope that your first call to me in months is purely because you miss your old man and wanted a chat?”

“Insightful as ever.”

“Lay it on me.”

“Don’t suppose you’d be up for a little flying? I need someone I can trust…”

Sparing many of the finer details for the moment, particularly about Quinn, Torilya explained her current situation. As she spoke about her mission on Corellia and the guests currently on her ship, her father’s face became drawn, and she heard him begin to swear under his breath. She held up her hands in a placating gesture.

“It’s under control, Dad. Sith, remember?” She pointed to herself.

Nikos’s eyeroll was clear despite the grainy image.

“I’m sure it is, Tor. So what exactly do you need me to do? Schedule’s wide open these days, you know,” he said, his voice straining on the last few words.

“Well, what I need most is a shuttle run. As I mentioned, my medic is undercover, in a manner of speaking, and I need to recall him, but I don’t want to risk anyone trailing him back to me, at least right away. He has a passenger as well, his sister. They have a small ship that they’ve been using, but it should fit in one of your hangars without issue. I should warn you, though, that you may want to steer clear until I have this situation fully under control -- just in case.”

“Ah, hell, let ‘em blow the place up,” Nikos scoffed. “Been there too long as it is. Just say the word and I’ll be an extra gun. Or two.”

“I may need you to be available for escape for my crew and my, uh, guests, just in case. Can’t risk you on the ground with me.”

“What, don’t trust me to shoot straight in my old age?”

Tori grinned at her father fondly.

“Hardly. No one I trust more. That’s why I need you to do this for me.”

“All right, all right. I’ll bring my astromech and have it pilot the other ship back. Just shoot me rendezvous coordinates and I’ll get there as soon as I can.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“Get some rest, Tori. You look like hell.”

“Nice talking to you, too.”

After disconnecting, Tori pulled out her datapad and typed out a quick message, then rose and exited the bridge, making her way to Vette’s quarters. She knocked softly on the door.

“Wha-huh?” Vette slurred. “C’min.”

Tori stuck her head in the door.

“Sorry, Vette. Can I interrupt you for a moment? It’s important.”

Vette lay sprawled on her back on her bunk, arms, legs, and _lekku_ akimbo.

“Yuh-huh.”

Tori slid through the door, closing it behind her, then sat gingerly on the corner of Vette’s bunk, her hands resting lightly on her lap.

“I have decided to recall Quinn.”

Vette shot to a sitting position, her eyes wide.

“Whoa. Awake now. So… what’s this about Captain Tightpants?”

“We need a real medic, and fast. He’s the best I know. And…” Tori searched for words. “Well, things can’t get much more dangerous than they are now. He’d be hard pressed to try anything with all these Force users on board, all of whom--” she faltered briefly “-- are of sharp instinct, unclouded by foolishness.”

Vette looked at her incredulously.

“You’re calling _Jaesa’s_ instincts unclouded and unfoolish? Are you feeling okay?”

“She does not suffer the same sort of blindness I clearly did where Quinn is concerned,” Tori bit out, her nails digging into her thighs.

“Um, not to rain on your parade of self-loathing there, but Jaesa didn’t exactly pick up on whatever was going on with him, either, and she’s the one with the alleged mind-reading superpower or whatever it is. Your guess is probably better than mine as to why -- I just assumed being a first-class psycho bitch took up all of her energy.” Vette’s tone was light, but her expression was hard.

“That psycho bitch helped you without being asked,” Tori said mildly.

Vette let out an indignant huff.

“Yeah, I know. But still -- you can’t deny she’s been all sorts of impossible up to that point. And I’m not exactly holding my breath that this calm-cool-and-collected act won’t blow up on us all.”

“Well, yes. My point, though, is that while the stakes are even higher, we also have more resources. Presumably, anyway.”

“Look, I’m not questioning your decision. Not really. But I have to ask, as your friend -- are you okay with this?”

“No,” Tori answered quietly. “But I feel I have to do it, both logically and, in some way, instinctually. All tactical reasons aside, I feel… I feel my victory will not truly be complete if I leave Quinn banished during Baras’s takedown.”

Vette blinked. “Sorry, you lost me there.”

Tori stood and began to pace across Vette’s narrow room as she talked, her eyes flashing an odd amber in the dimmed light.

“I do not pretend to understand Quinn’s purpose in everything. Nor am I ready to address it on a personal level. But there’s a part of me that feels if I keep him away when I still nee--” Tori cleared her throat “-- when I still have use for his skills, then even if, when, I topple Baras, he still wins on some level. He still managed to take that much more from me. And I can’t abide giving Baras one more centimeter than I must.”

Vette nodded slowly.

“I think I get it, kinda.” Vette watched Tori pace for a moment. “Have you told Pierce yet?” she asked gently.

“Yes. He is, of course, not pleased, but I think he’ll handle it.”

“Are you… I mean, I don’t mean to pry, but…”

Tori stopped pacing and looked at her friend, grinning ruefully at Vette’s obvious discomfort.

“He means a great deal to me. He’s been invaluable both to me personally and as a member of this crew, especially recently. And, yes, the lines are a bit… blurred of late, at least on the surface, and I’ve no idea how all that will go, but on the other hand, I can’t really allow myself to get caught up in that right now. And I think he understands that. I trust him, Vette. I hope you do, too.”

“Meh, he’s all right,” Vette cracked a smile. “I do, Tori. I just worry, you know?”

Tori walked over to Vette and smacked a sisterly kiss on her head.

“I know. But I think I have to take a leap of faith here. If it all blows up spectacularly, you have my permission to mock me in any way you see fit for the rest of your days. You know, assuming we haven’t all died horrible deaths.”

Vette smacked Tori with one of the pillows from her bunk.

“Thanks, O Wrathful One, that makes me feel _soooo_ much better.”

Tori’s retort was cut off by the sound of her datapad chiming.

“Sorry, Vette.”

“Duty calls, I get it. Shoo; I was gonna nap anyway.”

Tori started to duck out, but Vette spoke up one more time.

“Hey, I still have that collar I was wearing when you met me on Korriban. Hung onto it as a memento of sorts. You’re welcome to borrow it anytime anyone else causes a problem.”

Tori whipped around to see Vette raising an eyebrow mischievously at her. Stifling a laugh despite herself, she shook her head and left the room. Once out in the corridor, she quickly read the message that had come in, then typed another one quickly and sent it before jogging back down the corridor to the bridge. She sealed herself in again, then pulled out her holocomm to make another call. Quinn answered almost immediately this time.

“We have come to a full stop as instructed, Wrath. We will be prepared to abandon ship as soon as our contact arrives.”

“Very good, Captain. You are awaiting the arrival of Andronikos Revel. He will transport you and your passenger to the Fury and make arrangements for your ship. While you are on his ship, he acts with my authority, and you will treat him as such. Any display of anything but the utmost respect for Revel and his orders and you will regret it. Am I clear?”

Knowing exactly what was at stake, Quinn kept his surprise at hearing Revel’s name at bay, drew himself to his full height, and tried to make his expression as open as possible.

“Perfectly. You have my word that nothing--”

Torilya cut him off.

“Your words are useless to me, Quinn,” she said coldly. “Only actions will speak the truth now.”

Swallowing hard, Quinn dipped his chin sharply in acknowledgement.

“You will be briefed once you are aboard the Fury. Wrath out.”

Tori flung her comm aside as soon as the call disconnected, then sank to the floor, trying to force her breathing back to a normal rate despite the blood rushing to her head, pounding like thunder in her ears.

_No turning back now._

* * *

Malavai slowly lowered his comm and turned to look at Melia in astonishment.

“You know this Revel character?” she asked.

“Yes. Well, I know of him. He is a pirate by trade, the widower of a once very powerful Darth, and, perhaps most terrifying, Torilya’s father.”

Melia gaped at him.

“Does he…?”

“I’ve no idea.”

“Hoo, boy,” she breathed.

“ _Now_ you choose to understate matters.”

With that, Malavai spun on his heel and made for the small piles of their belongings to inventory them yet again, scrubbing his hands through his hair frantically with each step.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonus points to anyone catching the "Captain Tightpants" reference. I couldn't help myself. :)


	14. Chapter 14

All of the occupants of the Fury, save for Vowrawn's two lesser apprentices, were seated in the lounge awaiting Tori's arrival per her intercom message of a few minutes prior. Vowrawn reclined lazily, still sipping from a glass that Jaesa had refilled several times over the course of the evening, his red eyes reflecting mild amusement as he took in the people around him. Taking Tori's orders extremely seriously - and literally - Broonmark loomed over Vowrawn's seat, not even a full arms-length away. Jaesa sat beside the Darth, her face a mask of calm, but her own eyes shifting back and forth rapidly, almost nervously. Her gaze flitted to Lord Qet every so often, who slumped in a chair with his arms crossed, looking both bored and petulant. Vette sat propped up at a table, her head leaning heavily into one hand as she watched Jaesa.  _Either she knows something's up, or she's gonna snap again at any minute,_  she mused. Pierce sat across the table from Vette, in full uniform and fully armed, the durasteel of his boot clanking a bit as he bounced a foot impatiently.

Everyone in the room seemed to sit a little straighter as Tori swept in, apparently in the process of sending a message on her datapad. She was dressed in a set of her more official-looking robes - what Vette had dubbed her "Sithy garb" - with her lightsaber at her hip, though she left the hood back and her long, black hair fell loosely around her shoulders. There was an uneasy hush in the room while she finished her work and pocketed her datapad, then looked up to survey the group before she spoke.

"Darth Vowrawn, where are your other two apprentices?"

Vowrawn waved a hand dismissively. "Bah, those two are useless. I'll be sending them back to Korriban as soon as it's possible."

Tori's eyes narrowed a bit, the displeasure at her orders being subject to interpretation clear on her face.

"I trust, then, that you will see to it that they do not interfere with this crew's mission and that they are prepared to take instruction without question?"

"Of course, my dear. If they cause a problem, I'll escort them to the nearest airlock myself."

Tori nodded once, her expression still hard. She drew herself taller and spoke to the group at large.

"I have called you here for a briefing. I will soon be returning to the surface of Corellia to resume the mission, details of which you will learn as needed. Some of you will know more than others. Deal with it. I've no time to tend to hurt feelings. You will trust that you know what you need to know in order to contribute and act accordingly, or you will be silenced, through whatever means become necessary. Clear?"

Torilya paused to make eye contact with each person in the room in turn, lingering when she met Qet's stare. When no one spoke, she pressed on.

"We will soon have two more aboard ship - the ship's medic, Captain Quinn, will be returning, along with a member of his family that has been under his protection in recent days. Captain Quinn will resume all medic's duties at once. His family member is here as our guest and will have our protection. She is to be treated with courtesy, as she is under threat by no fault of her own. Any questions about this development may be brought to me privately and are not to be discussed amongst yourselves. If we are to be successful in our mission, it is imperative that you trust in me and in one another. If you do not feel this is possible for you, see me right away and I will make arrangements for your immediate reassignment without question or retribution. Otherwise, I will assume we have an understanding and will not hesitate to deal with you at the first sign of a problem. Most of you know that I do not make idle threats. Those of you that don't will soon learn."

Again, Tori paused to look each person in the eye. Sensing no immediate threat for outbursts or backlash, she moved ahead.

"Quarters will be tight with so many aboard, so be prepared to have a little less personal space than you may be used to. Squabbling will not be tolerated. To that end, allow me to reiterate that, in my absence, Lieutenant Pierce has command of this ship. You are to respond to his orders just as you would to my own. He has my authorization to handle any aboard ship issues as he sees fit. You need not worry that he will abuse that privilege."

At that, Pierce sat up even straighter, looking Torilya directly in the eye. He gave her a sharp salute, masking his lightning-quick wink at her as he did so. She resisted the urge to smile, knowing that he was putting on a show for the benefit of the room despite understanding how deadly serious her words were.

"If no one has questions, that will be all for now. I expect to disembark early tomorrow morning. Vette will be accompanying me. Remember, your primary mission is to ensure Darth Vowrawn's safety. Dismissed."

The group slowly dispersed: Vette shuffled back off to her quarters; Lord Qet stalked back to the cargo hold without so much as a look in Tori's direction; Pierce shot her a quick glance and made for his quarters. Darth Vowrawn seemed content in his chair, so Broonmark did not so much as twitch out of his position, and Jaesa looked uncertain as to her next move. Seeing her apprentice's hesitation, Tori spoke up.

"Jaesa and Broonmark, would you excuse us a moment? I'd like to speak to Darth Vowrawn privately."

Jaesa quickly stood. "Come on, Broonmark. You can help me practice my forms."

Tori winced a little as the two departed, eliciting a questioning look from the Darth.

"My apprentice is a little volatile yet. Broonmark is perhaps not the best choice for her to practice with," she explained, taking a seat.

Vowrawn chuckled. "Ah, youth. She's delightful, as are you, my dear. Your authority in handling your crew just now was lovely to behold, if more subtle than what I might have expected from the Emperor's Wrath."

Tori inclined her head slightly in acknowledgement of the compliment.

"Do you have any concerns, my lord?" she asked.

"Oh, no. I'm sure it will all be fine. I do have a question, however. I was not merely joking when I said I wished to send two of my apprentices back to Korriban. I do not trust them running amok on Corellia without supervision, nor do I want them underfoot here. If I may ask, how will your medic be making the rendezvous with us?"

"I have enlisted the help of a… third party to transport him and his passenger."

"I see, I see. And is this third party someone for hire?"

Tori hesitated. "Well, not precisely, though he is experienced in such work."

"Ah!" the Darth crowed. "This, then, seems too good to be true! Surely I can tempt him into making a quick run to Korriban to deliver my apprentices. After all, if you trust him with your crew, surely I can trust him with two apprentices that are more trouble than they are worth."

"Y-yes, perhaps," Tori hedged. "I shall speak with him when they arrive."

"Good, good!" Vowrawn clapped his hands. "Now, my dear, tell me more about this medic of yours."

Tori stood abruptly. "He is a fine medic and a fine Imperial officer. I have no doubt in his ability to handle any medical needs you may have. If you will excuse me, my lord, I must make preparations for his arrival and for my return to the surface."

Vowrawn looked at Tori as if he wanted to press the issue, but instead simply bowed his head, rising as well to take one of her hands.

"Of course. I believe I shall retire myself, as your charming apprentice is occupied with her training and my glass is empty. Thank you once again for the pleasure of your company, young one, and for making me so welcome on your ship."

Vowrawn brought her knuckles to his lips in an airy kiss, then swept off to his - her - quarters. Tori stood in place for a moment, torn between laughing and shuddering in disgust. The Darth was unique, she'd give him that.

_I might even like him_ , she thought.  _Maybe_.

* * *

Andronikos sat stretched out in the captain's chair of his freighter, feet propped on the map console, enjoying the ride through hyperspace. It wasn't the Sky Princess, but he had to admit it was nice to be piloting a stouter vessel again. It'd been a steal, too; got it from some smuggler looking to downsize. Said she was ready to spend more time planetside now that she had a couple grandkids on the way, had "officially" decommissioned the ship - it'd been part of some Republic war operation, not that he particularly cared about the details - but couldn't bear to see it go to scrap. She'd called in a favor for him, gotten it under some random registration, no affiliation, despite his protests that he could have it taken care of. She insisted, though, and he decided he didn't want to argue with her. Pretty little thing, close to his age but showed little sign of it aside from a few streaks of silver in her hair, carried a slick-looking blaster - just the type he might have gone for once upon a time. Hell, might have done now, had it not been for that dreadlocked lug of a husband of hers shadowing her every step. She'd clearly known what she was doing with the ship, too; it was immaculately cared for and even had a few surprises installed - some unexpected weaponry and some other pretty sophisticated tech usually reserved for military vessels or the like.

Nikos was shaken from his thoughts by the chime of his datapad. He flicked on the screen to find a brief message:

_All set. Make it look good. - T_

He shook his head, chuckling. Clearly this captain of his daughter's had done something to put himself on her shit list, but he knew better than to push for details. Still, given that and the note he'd just received, it seemed that having a little fun with the kid would be highly appropriate.

Doing this little job for Tori was giving him a bigger lift than he wanted to admit, despite the worry he felt for her. He and his daughter enjoyed a pleasant, if mostly superficial relationship, but he knew her better than she was willing to admit or perhaps even realized. Not that he blamed her; her childhood had certainly not been easy, and stars knew he hadn't always handled himself well. But as they both got older and more time passed, the natural connection between them seemed to grow, and every instinct he had told him that she was neck deep in some serious shit, both with the Sith and in her personal life.

Sighing, he swung his feet to the floor and pushed out of his chair, heading toward the bar he kept well-stocked in the lounge. He had a couple hours before making the rendezvous point, might as well relax a bit. Once he had his drink in hand, he went about making some adjustments to the weapons systems. She'd said to make it look good, and far be it from him to disappoint his only daughter.

Malavai was just finishing wiping the ship's holoterminal and carefully stowing the data chips holding the backups when the proximity klaxon started to blare. Frowning, he quickly made his way to the bridge, where Melia was standing gaping at the ship that had suddenly come into view, clearly in an attack posture.

"Looks like his weapons are hot," she said, her voice slightly laced with panic. "This can't be Revel… is it?"

Malavai's frown deepened. "I'm not sure. I assumed he'd make contact via holo when he was within-"

The rest of his sentence was cut off by the little ship shaking wildly as one of the freighter's turrets let loose a volley of blaster fire, some of it grazing the top of the cargo ship's hull.

"Sit down and strap in," Malavai snapped at his sister, securing himself in the pilot's seat. "Taking evasive maneuvers."

"Do we even  _have_  weapons? Or shields?" Melia's voice climbed higher as another volley seemed to skim just over the nose of their ship.

"No," Malavai replied tightly, expertly rolling the ship to avoid the next volley.

Melia squinted out the ship's windows at the freighter.

"Oh, bloody hell!" she squeaked.

" _What?_ "

"It looks like he's charging something… some kind of cannon? Looks like he's aiming for our engines."

"Thank you for that  _expert_  analysis," Malavai ground between clenched teeth, dodging yet more blaster fire.

The dance went on for a few more seconds before Malavai suddenly relaxed his hold slightly on the helm, letting his movements slow just a bit.

"What the hell are you doing?" Melia shrieked.

" _Hush_."

The little cargo ship continued to swerve and pitch, but less frantically, and the freighter seemed to slow the onslaught of blaster fire to match.

"That son of a bitch," Malavai muttered.

"Are you moving  _closer_?"

"Yes. Prepare the escape pod to deploy. Three minutes."

"Are you going to tell me what the f-"

"Just  _do it_ ," he roared. "And keep hold of something!"

Biting back any number of retorts, she unfastened so that she could reach the control panel for the escape pod, grasping the edge of the ship's helm tightly. Just as she finished entering the series of commands, the ship shuddered wildly and the lights went out.

"Brace," Malavai barked, just as the ship seemed to collide with something and shudder to a halt, loud scraping noises sounding from near the airlock.

Suddenly, it was eerily dark and quiet. Malavai swiftly unbuckled and pulled Melia from her chair, propelling them toward the airlock. He wrested the manual latch open and pried the door open. On the other side stood a wiry man with a shock of salt-and-pepper stubble covering his head and the lower half of his face. An tribal-looking tattoo surrounded one eye in a pattern that looked not entirely dissimilar to the markings Tori sported on her face. At his side, a beat-up astromech droid whirred and chirped.

"Not bad flying, kid. Figured I'd have to figure out how to get you aligned with the hatch myself." Andronikos's gravelly voice echoed in the airlock. "You gonna invite me in or what?"

Malavai bowed his head and stepped aside, carefully placing himself between Melia and Andronikos.

"Captain Revel, I presume?" he inquired archly.

"You better hope so. Em-tee, you know what to do," Nikos turned his attention to the astromech. "Go to it, buddy."

The droid let out a cheerful-sounding beep and rolled away toward the engine room. Just then, the sound of the escape pod deploying rattled through the ship. Nikos looked surprised for a brief moment, then gave Malavai a sideways grin.

"Nice touch. Guess you figured things out pretty quick. She said you were a smart one."

"Did she," Malavai struggled to keep his tone light and even. "I take it, then, we are indeed attempting to make this look to whatever audience we may or may not have as if you are pillaging rather than rendering aid? My lord merely instructed me to cut power to one engine and resume flying under half power. I assumed - well, I suppose it does not matter."

"Nah, it really doesn't," Nikos drawled. "Don't worry, I didn't hit you with anything serious. Modified my systems to make it look pretty but not bite too hard. Droid'll have your engines up and running in a few."

"That's all very nice, but I don't particularly care about the condition of this junk heap," Malavai grumbled. "Shall we proceed, then?"

Nikos chuckled. "Sure. Grab your gear. Won't be a long ride, but should be a hell of a lot more comfortable than this setup."

"Um, hi?" Melia elbowed her brother aside, the annoyance plain in her voice. "Nice to meet you, Captain Revel. I'm Melia."

"Aw, save the Captain stuff for this guy," Nikos jerked his head in Malavai's direction. "It's Andronikos, or Nikos or Revel if you wanna save a couple syllables. Hell, I'll answer to pretty much anything."

Melia grinned. "Fair enough."

The three of them made quick work of transferring their few bags of gear to Nikos's freighter, and within a few minutes, they were back into hyperspace. Nikos joined the siblings in the ship's lounge once he had everything squared away on the bridge.

"My droid'll get your ship back to one of my hangars. Shouldn't take us more than a few hours in hyperspace to get you to the spaceport on Corellia. Tori's got me clearance to dock a couple bays down from her. Not quite door-to-door service this time, but close," Nikos smirked at Malavai, who was carefully keeping his face as inscrutable as possible.

"Thank you, Andronikos. We very much appreciate your assistance."

"Not doing it for you, kid."

Malavai cleared his throat. "Indeed, sir," he replied, earning a glare from Andronikos.

"Knock it off with the 'sir' crap. You're here; might as well try to relax. Feel free to grab something from the bar or the galley - both of you." Nikos turned to Melia and gave her a surprisingly gentle smile. "Gonna be up and around putting my weapons systems back together for a bit myself or I'd join you."

"If it's all the same to you gentlemen, I think I'll just grab a bit of sleep. This couch here is the most comfy thing I've been in contact with in days," Melia sighed, settling down into the cushions and turning her back to the room.

"If you'll permit me, I'd be happy to be of any assistance I can," Malavai offered stiffly.

Nikos surveyed his face for a moment.

"All right, then. You've gotta loosen up a little, though - military formality gives me the creeps. Come on," he motioned Malavai toward the bar. After rummaging a bit, Nikos unearthed a bottle of Corellian whiskey. He poured two shots and slid one to Malavai as he lifted his glass.

"To my Torilya - your lord." Andronikos's gaze was steely as he looked Malavai in the eye.

"To my lord," Malavai murmured, meeting Nikos's stare steadily. The two men regarded each other for a long moment, then both drank deeply.

* * *

Tori was seated on the bridge, still fully dressed, despite the hour - nearly 3 a.m. by the ship's clock. She had spent the last several hours repeatedly filtering through the emotions still swirling within her, exploring them as far as she felt able to control them, cataloging her responses, trying to note the shifts in her energy. She knew she'd be walking a fine line of letting her emotions fuel her and letting them control her, and she could not afford any missteps. She kept returning to her anger - at Baras, at Quinn, at the seemingly endless hurdles between her and her goal. Perhaps most powerful, though, was her anger at herself. She was furious at herself for failing to extricate herself from Baras's games before she found herself seemingly on the losing side, for failing to realize that everything with Quinn was not as it seemed - even  _after_ she'd been warned, she'd been blind. Now she closed her eyes and imagined all these sources of her anger as white-hot pinpoints before her in the Force, visualized them coalescing into one great ball of energy that she could pull into herself and let take root.

Tori was jarred from her meditative state by her holocom chirping. She pulled it from her pocket, taking a steadying breath as she did.

"Dad. What's your status?"

"Just about to dock. Passengers made it aboard with no issues; we had a pretty smooth ride. Both sleeping at the moment, though your captain spent a good chunk of the evening helping me recalibrate the ship's weapons systems."

"Glad he made himself useful," Tori said shortly. "If you are not in a hurry to take off, I'd like to come speak to you aboard your ship. There has been a small development I'd like to discuss with you."

Nikos raised an eyebrow at her, and her face softened.

"And of course I'd like to see you, too," she admitted.

"That's better. I'd say give me twenty minutes or so and I'm set."

"Let's say an hour or so. I suspect my arrival will disrupt your passengers' sleep, and it is essentially the middle of the night. That at least gives them a bit more rest."

"All right, hon. You know where to find me."

"I'll see you shortly."

Tori disconnected, then took her time straightening her robes, making sure the armored plating was firmly in place, and securing her hair in its usual coil atop her head. She paced the bridge for several long minutes before deciding she'd risk sneaking to the galley for some caff, hopefully without disturbing any of her crew or her guests. She was startled, though not entirely surprised, to find Pierce already seated at the little table, still fully dressed and armed, with a steaming mug in front of him.

"Pierce?" she murmured.

"Set up a watch rotation with Jaesa and Broonmark. Not that Broonmark isn't constantly on watch. Figured it might be wise, though."

Tori simply nodded as she poured herself a mug.

"What brings you out here? Can't sleep?"

"Well, no, but somewhat deliberately this time. The ship carrying the captain and his sister is about to dock, just a couple of bays down. I'll be going over to speak to the pilot and brief the captain before I bring them over to the Fury."

"Alone?" Pierce's jaw visibly clenched.

"Yes, I believe it best. I promise you, I'm in no danger."

Pierce stared at her for a moment before heaving a sigh and slumping back into his seat.

"Not that I don't think you can take care of yourself, but I just…"

"I know. But it must be done."

"All right. But any sign of trouble, you comm and I'll be there."

Tori gave him a tight smile and a nod, and the two sat in silence for a long while, both lost in thought as they sipped their caff. Finally, Tori pulled out her datapad to check the time.

"Might as well get this over with," she said, downing the last dregs in her mug as she stood. Pierce stood too, following her to the airlock.

"Be careful," he said in a strained voice as she punched in the security code and stepped out.

"I'll be back shortly," she replied as she pulled her hood low over her forehead. She paused to look at him briefly, then spun on her heel and strode toward the lift.

As Tori made her way through the spaceport, she kept focusing on the same visualization she'd been meditating on while she waited on the bridge. She matched her breathing to her strides, listened to the sounds of her boots on the floor, inhaled the dusty air deliberately, engaging all of her senses. She imagined she could feel the ball of energy nesting within her belly.

_Focus._

All too soon, she had arrived at the airlock to her father's ship, where he was waiting for her. A grin spread across his face as she drew near, and he quickly stepped over to her to pull her into a hug.

"Hi, Dad," she whispered, but Nikos didn't speak.

After a few moments, he released her and took a step back to look at her, lingering on her face and the changes he saw there.

"Well, you certainly look like a full-blown scary Sith," he finally said.

Tori studied her father equally thoroughly before replying, taking in the eyes that still twinkled, despite the lines around them that hinted at some hard times.

"You look good. Nice ship you've come up with, too," she nodded toward the freighter.

Nikos took his daughter's arm. "She's nicer on the inside," he said, pulling her toward the door. He quickly input the security code and ushered her inside. She looked around appreciatively at the spacious interior, and was just about to ask for a full tour when they rounded a corner and she nearly collided with a somewhat disheveled-looking Malavai.

He recovered first.

"I beg your pardon, Wrath. I am glad to see you are well."

_Focus._

The ball of energy flared white-hot.

"And you, Captain."


	15. Chapter 15

An uncomfortable silence fell on the freighter as Malavai and Tori regarded one another and Andronikos tried to pretend to be oblivious to the massive tension between his daughter and the Imperial. Finally, Quinn's military training seemed to kick in and he spoke, his voice only slightly strained.

"Apologies, Andronikos. I awoke and realized you were not aboard, so I was just heading to try to raise you on your holo to make sure all was well. I-"

"' _Andronikos_ '?" Tori broke in, her voice soft and menacing. "I sincerely hope you were given leave to take such liberties,  _Captain_ , or there will be consequences."

"Torilya, ease up," Nikos said wearily. "Since when have I ever tolerated being called 'Captain' or 'sir' or any of that crap? Took me long enough to keep the kid from standing at attention all the damn time."

"Very well. Aboard your ship, that is your right." Tori cut her gaze to Quinn, who - to his credit - did not look away, but drew himself taller and met her eyes.

"Damn straight it is," Nikos muttered, at which Tori whipped her head back around to glare at her father. "Anyway, we're all here, so what next?"

"Well, as the captain is obviously awake, I suppose I can simply brief you both at once. Then while the captain and his sister prepare to disembark, I'd like to see the rest of your ship." Tori looked her father in the eye at that last part, and her face softened a bit.

Nikos nodded. "Sounds good. Come on up to the bridge so we don't wake Melia." He took Tori's elbow and gestured to Malavai to lead the way, letting him get a few paces ahead before he started to follow. As they walked, he leaned in to speak softly into Tori's ear.

"You okay?"

"Fine," Tori growled through clenched teeth.

On the short walk to the bridge, Tori looked all around her, admiring the well-kept, if aged ship - it was a perfect reflection of Andronikos himself. She spotted Melia curled up on one of the lounge's couches as they passed and was startled to see how strong the resemblance was between her and Quinn. Their faces, even in sleep, were strikingly similar in features and expression.

Once on the bridge, Nikos assumed his typical sprawl in the captain's seat, and Malavai stood at parade rest off to one side. Tori leaned against the helm, arms crossed in front of her. She squared her shoulders firmly as she addressed the men.

"Captain Quinn, the reason I have recalled you is that, after finally making contact with Darth Vowrawn, as you will no doubt remember was my initial mission objective on Corellia, I have relocated him and three of his apprentices to the Fury for protection, as I was forced to eliminate some of his forces in the process of reaching him. The stakes are now higher than ever, and I cannot assume the ship's droid can sufficiently address any medical needs that may arise, particularly if Vowrawn's whereabouts should reach Baras, as I've no doubt they eventually will, and Baras should make yet another attempt on Vowrawn's life. To that end, I am reinstating your medic's duties effective immediately."

"Understood, sir," Quinn replied briskly.

"We will discuss your place among the ship's crew further momentarily. For now, I would like to address the immediate situation regarding Vowrawn and his apprentices. One of his apprentices, Lord Qet, seems to have Vowrawn's trust and serves as his right hand. The other two appear to be little more than mere acolytes, and Vowrawn has expressed a desire to move them back to Korriban for the time being. When he learned that the Captain and his sister were arriving aboard a third-party transport-" Tori flashed her father a rueful grin "- he immediately suggested that we send his apprentices back to Korriban on this ship when it arrived."

Andronikos sighed heavily. "I hate Korriban," he grumbled. "Place gives me the creeps."

"This is purely your decision," Tori told him. "I have no problem telling the Darth that you are not available for his little errand. His bumbling apprentices are his problem, not mine."

"Dunno," Nikos shrugged. "Seems like it'd make things easier and less crowded all the way around if they were gone. I can make it a fast run and be back before you know it. This guy paying?"

Tori grinned. "I'm sure he'd be willing to make it worth your while. And it would serve as a gesture of goodwill, which could benefit us all at some point."

Nikos nodded. "Fair enough. Tell your Darth I'm in, as long as there are no lightsaber burns anywhere on my ship."

"Good. If you're able to secure this same dock on your return, all the better. In fact, perhaps I can have the Darth assist us in that endeavor," Tori mused. "I would still like to see the rest of your ship, but before we do that, would you mind giving me a moment to speak to the captain privately?"

"You got it," Nikos agreed. "I'll just be in the lounge if you need anything," he said more pointedly, shooting a hard look at Malavai before hauling himself from the captain's chair and off the bridge.  _Kid could be likable enough aside from the giant stick up his ass. Good head on his shoulders, hell of a pilot. But Tori's clearly uncomfortable, which makes my trigger fingers itchy,_ he sighed inwardly as he made his way to find some caff.

Left alone on the bridge, Tori and Quinn stood several meters apart, both with shoulders squared and jaws set. Her face was carefully blank; his was a forced mask of calm, the staccato beat of his eyelashes blinking more rapidly than usual the only outward sign of his anxiety. She cleared her throat.

_Giving orders. Just like you were on the Fury._

"Captain, prior to your leave you were second-in-command on the Fury. In your absence, Lieutenant Pierce has assumed that role, and he will remain there for the foreseeable future," Tori began brusquely. "As such, you are to follow his orders in my absence without question, and he is due the respect you would give any superior officer. Imperial ranks mean nothing aboard my ship. Do we have an understanding?"

"Yes, sir." Malavai's voice was strong and calm, but his eyes were unusually bright, and his shoulders had visibly tensed at Tori's reference to Pierce as a superior officer. He forced his breathing to remain steady.

_Is that anger? Sadness?_ Tori mentally shook herself.  _It doesn't matter._

"Very good. As for your quarters, you may stay in the medbay if you wish, or the cargo hold has been converted to temporary crew quarters to accommodate Vowrawn's apprentices. The choice is yours. For the time being, the bridge is off-limits to you unless you are instructed otherwise by myself or Lieutenant Pierce."

"Understood. If it is of no consequence to you, I believe I would prefer to stay in the medbay."

Tori nodded. "Very well. Do you have any questions at this time, Captain?"

"Yes, actually. My sister - will she be joining us aboard the Fury, or…?" Malavai trailed off.

"Yes, Vette has volunteered her quarters, as she will be on the surface with me a great deal of the time. Your sister will have the full protection of the crew and will be treated as a guest. I debated asking my father to keep her with him, but I do not want to risk sending more trouble his way, though he is perfectly capable of protecting her."

"Indeed," Malavai muttered, thinking about their rendezvous. The words had barely escaped his lips before his back made forceful contact with the wall. He fought for breath, the impact and the subsequent pressure on his chest that pinned him in place winding him. Tori suddenly appeared mere inches from his face, one hand extended in front of her, palm out, nearly touching the front of his duster.

"What was that,  _captain_?" she hissed menacingly.

Malavai forced himself not to struggle, pausing a moment to gather his breath before he answered, though his voice was still hoarse.

"Apologies, my-  _sir_. No disrespect intended. I was…  _fortunate_  to witness an impressive display of Captain Revel's skill as a pilot that leaves me with no doubt that he can protect whomever he chooses quite well."

"You will want to be more mindful of your commentary, captain." Tori stepped back as suddenly as she'd come at him, dropping her hand to release him from her hold. "That will be all. Gather your belongings and wait for me to escort you back to the Fury." She whipped around quickly, turning her back on him and striding from the room before he could respond.

In the lounge, Andronikos sat quietly sipping his caff, trying not to wake Melia. The calm was shattered, however, when a loud thud sounded from the bridge and Melia bolted upright, obviously startled.

"The hell was that?" she gasped, her hand on her chest.

"A briefing, apparently," Nikos said dryly.

"Oh,  _fantastic_ ," Melia snapped, standing as if to make her way to the bridge. "I guess that means your daughter is aboard?"

"Hey." Nikos held out a hand in a half-placating, half-warning gesture. "Settle down. They can handle themselves."

Melia opened her mouth to retort, but it was cut short by Tori appearing in the lounge.

"Ah, you're awake," she said to Melia, who was openly glaring at her.

"Yeah, the dulcet sounds of your  _briefing_  on the bridge woke me," Melia said acidly. "We've not been properly introduced. Melia Quinn-Demir, Malavai's sister. And what am I to call you, exactly?"

Tori's eyebrow arched. "I did not realize you were married. In any case, call me Torilya or Tori. You will be aboard my ship as a guest; there's no need for formality."

Melia nodded, her posture relaxing very slightly. "I was married briefly when I was very young," she explained tersely.

"I see. My apologies."

Melia shook her head. "Thank you, but it was all years ago. Anyway, if you'll excuse me, I'll freshen up a bit and then be ready to go." She turned to Nikos with a questioning look, who pointed her to the refresher, then turned to his daughter.

"Everything okay?" he asked mildly.

"Fine. We'll head to the Fury shortly. I do, however, want to see the rest of your ship." Tori smiled at her father, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. Once again, Nikos took her elbow and began giving her the grand tour.

By the time they had made the full loop of the ship, both Malavai and Melia were waiting by the airlock with their belongings in tow. Tori and Andronikos came to a stop in front of them.

"Well, that's all there is to see," Nikos said. "What now, Tor?"

Tori glanced at the time on her datapad. "Might as well head over to the Fury. The Darth and his apprentices may not be up and about yet, but that gives us time to get the captain and Melia settled."

" _The captain?_ " Melia mouthed at Malavai while Tori's head was turned. Malavai just shot her a hard look, pressing his lips together tightly. She frowned, but kept her thoughts to herself.

"Works for me," said Nikos. "Do you want me to come with you or just wait for my passengers to show?"

"Come on over," Tori replied. "I can make formal introductions and so on. That way, you still have the opportunity to back out should you decide it's not a good idea."

Nikos nodded. Tori turned to the other two.

"Are you ready?"

Both Malavai and Melia nodded.

"Let's go, then."

Tori led the group out the airlock and through the spaceport to the Fury's docking bay, moving quickly and carefully watching their surroundings, despite the spaceport being all but deserted given the hour. When they arrived at the Fury's airlock, she quickly input the security codes and ushered everyone through the door. As she expected, Lieutenant Pierce stood on the other side at full attention, clearly waiting for their arrival.

"Wrath," he greeted Tori, but his gaze shifted over the trio standing behind her, lingering ever so slightly on the sandy-haired woman at Quinn's side before he caught himself.

"Lieutenant," she responded. "I'd like you to meet Captain Andronikos Revel and Melia Quinn-Demir." Tori turned to her father and Melia. "This is Lieutenant-" she caught Pierce's slightly panicked look "-Pierce, my second-in-command."

Pierce nodded gruffly at the newcomers, then gave Quinn a hard glare.

"Lieutenant," Quinn greeted him quietly.

Pierce's jaw worked furiously for a moment.

"Quinn," he finally spat.

Recognizing the rising volatility of the situation, Torilya pressed on.

"What's our status, Pierce?" she asked, leading everyone through to the lounge.

"Quiet. All apparently sleeping. Jaesa's up for watch soon. Broonmark's been camped in front of the Darth's door. Vette says her quarters are all set for guest use. She's on a cot in Jaesa's quarters for the time being. Nothing much to report otherwise," Pierce shrugged.

"Thank you, Pierce," Tori said, checking the time once again. "Would you please show Melia to where she'll be staying? I imagine you'd like to get settled," she turned to Melia as she finished, who gave her a tight smile.

"You got it. Then I need a word with you and Quinn," Pierce said shortly.

Tori's eyes narrowed slightly, but she nodded in agreement. Pierce held out his hands for Melia's bags, which she gave him warily, then he led her out of the lounge toward Vette's quarters. Tori turned back to Quinn.

"Captain, if you'd like to put your things in the medbay, Pierce and I will meet you there shortly."

"Yes, sir," Quinn replied, picking up his belongings and exiting the lounge.

As soon as he was around the corner, Tori sighed heavily and sat down hard on one of the couches in the lounge. Frowning in concern, Nikos sat next to her and placed a hand on her knee.

"You need to get some sleep," he scolded her. She laughed bitterly.

"No time for that now. Besides, I have some excess energy stored up; I'll be fine. I have resources that -"

"That the rest of us mere mortals don't. Heard that line a million times from your mother. Doesn't mean she was less bitchy when she was tired, or less vulnerable to making mistakes." Nikos gave his daughter a pointed look.

"Sometimes I wonder how you outlived her with that attitude," Tori snapped, but the smirk on her face took most of the bite from her words. "Speaking of rest, though, you should grab some while you can. Once the Darth is up and his apprentices are ready to go, you could be in for a long haul without sleep. If you want to grab a quick nap until then, you can use the bridge. I've moved my quarters in there for the time being."

Nikos looked like he wanted to argue, but sighed and patted Tori's knee as he stood. "Fine, but wake me as soon as everyone's up and moving, okay?"

Tori just made a shooing motion with her hand. As Nikos left the lounge, Lieutenant Pierce came back in from getting Melia settled, carrying two datapads that he'd retrieved from his quarters. He stood in front of Tori, who gave him a questioning look.

"C'mon," he said, offering her a hand up. She allowed him to pull her to her feet, and they silently made their way to the medbay. Malavai was standing in the middle of the room, looking around with a glassy-eyed expression. He startled at Pierce's heavy footsteps approaching the door.

"What… happened in here?" Quinn sounded a bit like he'd been punched in the stomach.

Pierce looked almost as if he wanted to laugh. "Vette restocked and Too-Vee inventoried and reorganized," he replied nonchalantly. "There a problem?"

Quinn turned to face Pierce, whose expression suddenly turned menacing.

"N-no, no problem-" Quinn paused as if to gather his strength "-  _sir_ ," he managed to choke out.

Tori broke in hurriedly on seeing the predatory gleam creeping into Pierce's eyes. "Pierce, what is this about?" she barked, bringing the Lieutenant back to the matter at hand.

Pierce looked at Tori and held up the two datapads he'd been carrying.

"These were recovered from Quinn's personal effects left in the medbay. This one seems to simply be a copy of the crew's medical records." Pierce handed the first datapad to Quinn, who nodded in confirmation."This one, however, appears to be a personal datapad that has been locked or encrypted. I did not attempt to slice into it; however, I felt given the circumstances-" his eyes cut to Quinn again "-that any decisions regarding exposing its contents should be left to you, Wrath." He handed the datapad to Tori.

Tori forced her hand to remain steady as she reached out to take it. She looked down to study it for a long moment, deliberately keeping her face well-concealed beneath her hood. The heat in her belly flared. She looked up to meet Quinn's eyes, her expression inscrutable, then silently held the datapad out to him.

"Wrath -" Pierce started to growl, then cut himself off sharply when Tori spun to face him. He cleared his throat and quickly wiped his expression clean. Tori's jaw clenched as she gave him a look that clearly spelled out exactly what would happen if he chose to undermine her at that moment, then turned back to Quinn, who looked back at her dumbfounded. He held the datapad for a moment, then powered it on and input several fast commands, turning sideways so that his movements were all visible, before handing it back to her.

"I have removed all security encoding. Its contents are open for your perusal. I have no more secrets," Quinn steadily met Tori's gaze as he spoke, his eyes once again bright.

Tori stood rigid. Pierce's head swiveled comically between the two, watching the exchange. After a beat of silence, Tori slowly shook her head.

"No. Words. Data. All meaningless," she spat. "Empty."

Malavai inhaled sharply, but did not look away. He continued to hold the datapad out to her.

"Please," he all but whispered, then something flashed across his face and he stood straighter, lifting his chin defiantly. " _My lord_ ," he finished deliberately, his voice clear and strong.

Pierce visibly flinched. The tension in the room became nearly palpable; Pierce wondered if it was his imagination or if he was actually feeling tiny licks of electric current crackling against his skin, but he dared not move. After a few seconds that felt more like hours, Tori ripped the datapad from Quinn's hands and spun on her heel so fast that her robes flapped in a miniature cyclone behind her as she bolted from the room. Pierce looked at Quinn, whose face had gone utterly pale and clammy, though he still stood straight.

_Hell with that_ , Pierce thought, and delivered one solid shove to the center of the captain's abdomen, sending him staggering back to land on one of the medbay cots.

"Next time I lay a hand on you it will be to end your miserable little life, either because she asks me to or you hurt her again," Pierce snarled, looming over Quinn to spit in his face. "Only reason I'm not doing it now is because _she_  seems to think you might still be useful. But make no mistake, I don't. And I am just waiting for you to give me the slightest of reasons to justify gutting you with your own knives."

Quinn held perfectly still, not even reaching up to wipe the mess sliding down his cheek into his scruffy beard. Before he could respond, Pierce left the room nearly as abruptly as Torilya had, leaving Quinn to slump back onto the cot, his heart pounding. After a moment, he calmly sat up, grabbed a small bucket from the end of the cot, and heaved into it. Once he finished, he stood, wiped his face with a bandage from the stack folded on the exam table, disposed of his mess, and strode off to the refresher, shaving kit and clean clothes in hand.

An hour later, most of the Fury's passengers were awake and moving about, save for the overnight arrivals. Too-Vee was frantically rushing about to serve breakfast and fill caff mugs amidst the low rumble of muted conversations in the lounge. Darth Vowrawn sat with Lord Qet, Jaesa and Vette, Broonmark still lurking just at arm's length. Pierce leaned against a wall, arms folded, watching the room's activity. Vowrawn's other apprentices (no one seemed to bother with their names, including their master) kept to themselves in a corner. All conversation stopped as Tori entered, her robes traded for her preferred close-fitting combat gear, Andronikos following behind her. She nodded to the room in general, then gestured to her father as she addressed Darth Vowrawn.

"Good morning, my lord. I'd like to introduce the pilot who assisted with returning our medic and his sister to us overnight, Captain Revel. He is prepared to discuss the errand with which you'd like to enlist his assistance." Andronikos ducked his chin civilly at the Darth, who rose to his feet, clasping his hands in front of him.

"Ah, very good! Please, captain, come sit and let us discuss business," Vowrawn beckoned Nikos over, affording Jaesa an opportunity to excuse herself and approach Tori.

"Master," Jaesa greeted Tori quietly, "I've not been able to sense anything to indicate that Darth Vowrawn's goals are not as he says they are. If anything, he seems to be enjoying himself immensely. While he is serious about the end goal, the means are almost a game to him."

Tori nodded. "He said as much, essentially. Thank you, Jaesa. I appreciate your subtlety in this matter." She paused as she saw uneasiness flicker across her apprentice's face. "Is there something wrong?"

Jaesa sighed. "I must be honest, Master - I'm not sure my powers are working at full strength. I don't know why, nor can I tell you how long this has been the case; only that I've had this suspicion for a while."

Tori frowned angrily. "Why have you not told me before now?" Jaesa hesitated before starting to answer, but Tori cut her off, pinching the bridge of her nose as she did so. "It doesn't really matter. We can discuss it later. Just try to stay focused, and we'll sort it out."

"Thank you, Master; I will," Jaesa said, sounding both a little abashed and slightly defensive.

"In the future, however, you must tell me things like this immediately. Understood?" Tori's tone was firm, but not hostile. Jaesa nodded, and Tori laid a hand on her shoulder before walking over to join Vowrawn and Nikos. Vette gave her a sleepy smile when she walked up to the group.

"It's all set, my dear. My apprentices will be off your ship and out of my hair within the hour, thanks to your associate here," Vowrawn said cheerfully. Nikos gave Tori a sideways grin, which she met briefly before addressing the group at large.

"Good. Vette, can you be ready within half an hour? My lord, do you have any additional instructions before we go to visit Colonel Senks?"

Vette nodded as Vowrawn responded. "Oh, no, young one. I will notify you as soon as I have more information regarding Baras's additional operatives. Your focus now should just be on Senks. If you can retain him and his skills without reservation, all the better."

Tori bowed her head in acknowledgement. "Very well. Notify us as soon as you have coordinates. Otherwise, standard procedure for us is maintain radio silence as we work. Lieutenant Pierce will have command of the ship in my absence."

"Of course, Wrath."

"Thank you, my lord. If you'll excuse me, I'll finish making preparations to go to the surface. Vette, meet me at the airlock when you're ready."

Vette swallowed the enormous bite she'd been chewing. "You got it!" she chirped, then cut her eyes over to Vowrawn. "Er, I mean, as you wish, Wrath."

Vowrawn chuckled and Tori rolled her eyes. "Nice recovery," she said to Vette sarcastically, who actually looked sheepish for once.

Half an hour later, most of the Fury's passengers were crowded around the airlock as several prepared to leave. As Nikos came up to join the group, a hand on his elbow startled him. He turned to find Malavai gesturing to him furtively.

"What gives, kid?"

"I, well - here." Malavai awkwardly thrust a small pouch at Nikos, who opened it to find a tiny tranq gun and three cartridges. "The range isn't terribly good, but it gets the job done. I know you are capable of handling yourself in a fight, but the Darth may take offense to his apprentices not returning to Korriban alive, so I just thought it might be wise to have another option should something happen."

"Oh, I dunno. He doesn't seem too concerned about their welfare," Nikos snorted.

Malavai shrugged. "One never truly knows."

Nikos grinned and tucked the pouch into his jacket pocket. "You may have a point, there."

Malavai cleared his throat. "Anyway, safe travels," he said, stepping back toward the medbay.

"Thanks, kid." Nikos gave Malavai a brisk nod, then headed to meet his passengers at the airlock. When he arrived, the sight that met him was simultaneously humorous and unsettling. Darth Vowrawn leaned against a wall casually, his hands extended in front of him at shoulder level. His apprentices dangled in mid-air in front of him, feet kicking wildly, both grasping frantically at invisible hands around their necks. Broonmark stood to the side, chuffing in what sounded like laughter, Tori was watching calmly and talking to Pierce, while Vette seemed to be carefully studying the floor.

"Ah, there you are!" the Darth greeted Nikos airily. "I was just reminding my apprentices here to be good passengers during your journey. Should they give you any trouble at all, you are welcome to deal with them as you see fit, though hopefully that won't be necessary." He released them as he spoke, though not without giving them a shove as they dropped so that their heads collided. Nikos bit back a cackle.

"Ready when they are," was all he said in response, gesturing toward the door.

"Comm the ship when you're headed back," Tori said to Nikos quietly.

"Will do. Be careful out there," he murmured back, earning a childish face from Tori.

As soon as Andronikos and his two passengers were clear of the airlock, Tori turned to the rest of the group.

"I will be in touch as soon as we've made contact with Senks and collected the information we need. Pierce, Broonmark - you know what your duties are. Please be sure to look after Melia as well; as I said, she's to be treated as a guest - and try to keep Too-Vee from driving her nuts." Both nodded. "All right. Vette, shall we?"

"Locked and loaded," Vette replied, patting her pockets to make sure she had enough spare power packs.

The two women made their way to the door, Pierce on their heels. As Tori stepped out, he surreptitiously grabbed her wrist. She turned to look at him questioningly.

"Good hunting," he said, his face carefully blank.

"Thank you, Lieutenant," she said quietly, meeting his gaze for a fleeting moment before turning and walking briskly out into the spaceport, Vette at her side.


	16. Chapter 16

Jaesa paced restlessly in her quarters, rolling her head from side to side with each step as she heard Tori and Vette depart. Being essentially confined to the ship did not sit well with her, though she understood the need.  _Understanding_ , however, did not necessarily equate  _tolerating_ , as she was beginning to realize all too well.

_It's for good reason, one that serves you as well as your Master_ , she told herself, but damn if she didn't nearly choke on it, even as she thought it.  _How the hell did I ever survive as a Jedi?_

That helped. She shuddered: The memory of the nearly tangible weight of Jedi restraint, the constant feeling of suffocation that she so carefully shoved away lest she be found unworthy and sent back to the even more insufferable culture of Alderaanian nobility… the thought that she could very well be stuck still serving weak-willed, self-denying, spineless monks if not for Tori's intervention - it was all more than she could bear to contemplate.

_This is enough. It must be, for now._

But the thought did not calm her, did nothing to quell the tension roiling within until she could almost swear she could physically feel a crawling sensation upon her skin, a burning within her muscles, until all else was muffled beyond recognition - all she could feel, hear, see, practically even  _taste_  was this nearly tangible, enveloping sense of...want.

_Want for what?_

She growled, spinning ferociously on her heel as she began her next pass. Nothing filled the void for more than a brief moment. Eradicating "false" Sith with light-side tendencies? Trivial. Fleetingly satisfying, if she got to make a kill. She harbored particular hatred for people who wore false masks, had even prior to meeting Tori and seeing her bring down and expose her former master for what he truly was - not that she could label it as hatred then. Yes, she certainly preferred her new master to her old one. Genuinely liked her, even, though she couldn't deny her growing frustration. She'd been promised liberty to explore this new life of hers, and had been granted little sips of freedom, and yet - here she was, aimlessly pacing in circles in her room, once again trying to stifle emotions.

She knew Tori was not telling her everything about Quinn, that clearly something major had happened there and that Quinn did not merely just leave to go pick up his sister after hiding in the medbay for the better part of a week. She had pieces of the story, was able to grasp snippets of emotions through the Force, but that her master couldn't be bothered to give her the full story - or perhaps didn't trust her with it - that slight just added fuel to the fire. Further adding to her vexation was the situation with Darth Vowrawn. Here was a member of the Dark Council on board, and all she'd been given the opportunity to do was refill his wine glass and listen to his stories.

Somewhere in the middle of this barrage of thoughts, Jaesa stopped dead in her tracks as a realization hit her, leaving her trembling with rage.

_Wearing circles on the floor of my room, spending my time filling drinks and being charming and subservient, choking on pent-up frustrations - am I back on frigging Alderaan?_

She looked around, the urge to destroy something rapidly becoming overwhelming. After a moment, she made a snap decision, grabbed her lightsaber, and strode purposefully from her quarters. Stalking into the cargo bay-turned-crew quarters, she spotted Lord Qet sitting uncomfortably on a cot, studying a datapad. A predatory grin spread across her face and a snarl escaped her lips. He looked up just in time to see her call his lightsaber to her hand, then fling it hard straight at his face. Instinctively, he reached up and snatched it from the air, shooting to his feet and igniting the blade as he did so.

"I wondered when you'd come to burn off some energy," he said in tones that hovered somewhere between sensuous and feral. "I could feel your aura churning from the moment I stepped foot on this junkheap." He let his gaze sweep over her leeringly. "Don't like being on a leash, do you, sweet thing?"

By way of response, she lit her saber and sprang.

Vowrawn was fully aware of the swirling tension all over the ship - he knew there was something going on with that medic; he knew Jaesa was, in short, a hot mess; and while he couldn't quite put his finger on it, there was something keeping the Lieutenant especially tightly wound. His new friend, he sensed, was at the center of it all, and he only hoped she was adept enough to handle it even as she fought to tear Baras down. It was obvious to him that toppling Baras was only the beginning of the resolution for her, though he clearly didn't fully grasp the finer details.

The sudden racket from the cargo bay put a broad smile on his face as he sat in the ship's lounge working on his datapad. He liked that apprentice of the Wrath's; such raw energy and talent was infinitely attractive to him. He imagined that the Wrath related more to her protégé than perhaps even she realized, as he sensed similar energy within them - the Wrath's, obviously, far more controlled and focused than her apprentice's, but just as intense. Still, it was intriguing, and he looked forward to seeing them both flourish - hopefully still as his allies.

He was startled out of his thoughts by the chime of the holoterminal indicating an incoming transmission. Rising quickly, he made his way over. Lieutenant Pierce appeared over his shoulder just as Vowrawn began to skim through the text.

"All right, m'lord?" Pierce asked. Vowrawn straightened to give him a broad smile.

"Indeed, Lieutenant. Your master has evidently succeeded in obtaining the information from Senks." Vowrawn paused as his personal holocom and datapad beeped simultaneously. He hastily checked the datapad's display and his smile faltered a bit. "Hmm. Let's call on her, shall we?" Vowrawn quickly entered a command on the holoterminal to trace and put a call through to the sending frequency of the incoming message.

* * *

"That's got to be Senks," Tori breathed to Vette as they crept through a door. A squirrelly-looking man stood hunkered over a computer console, grumbling to himself.

"I know that code is right. Why aren't my escape passages opening?" He pounded his fist on the console in frustration.

Tori stepped forward and cleared her throat loudly, causing the man to snap upright and turn.

"When the alarms sounded, I knew there was trouble coming," he whined. Shooting Vette a quick smirk, Tori drew closer still and powered on her lightsaber. Senks cowered, throwing his hands out in front of himself defensively.

"Don't strike! I'm a secret Imperial agent working directly for Darth Baras."

"That's not news to me," Tori sneered. "You discover and keep secrets for Baras that he uses to gain power and control others."

"My work keeps rogue Imperial elements from destabilizing the Empire. But that's just part of what I do. I'm essential in the fight for Corellia. I steer Republic-aligned resistance forces into battles they can't win. Shut me down and we lose this war," Senks blurted.

Vette, seeing Tori's expression, turned a snicker into a cough.

"Cooperate and you may survive this encounter," Tori growled. "Your collaboration with Darth Baras must end. Give up the information you harbor for him."

"Th-there's no future in denying Baras!" Senks backed away ever so slightly.

Tori closed the space between them, twirling her saber casually. "Does your future seem bright when you look at me, Senks?" she asked, the amber of her eyes set off eerily by the orange glow from her blade.

"It seems you hold all the cards," Senks gulped. "E-every regime eventually falters. I'd be wise to get out before the towers start crumbling." Clearly talking to himself now, he glanced around nervously, then turned back to his computer console and hastily entered some commands. "I'll give you the files...there. Wiped from my system and relinquished to you. Does that earn your mercy?" He handed Tori a datachip.

Tori regarded him coolly. "Sit still while I authenticate your information." She handed the chip to Vette, who quickly jammed it back into the terminal and uploaded it to the Fury. A moment later, Darth Vowrawn's image rendered.

"We received your transmission, young one. This is indeed the leverage Baras has over my fellow Dark Council members. Now they are free of him.

Senks spoke up before Tori could respond. "Does this mean I get to keep breathing and winning the war for Corellia?" His nervous quivering reminded Tori of an overexcited akk puppy.

"I leave that decision to my formidable friend," Vowrawn gestured to Tori.

Tori silently regarded Senks for a moment, then struck so fast that neither Senks nor Vette had time to react. Vette swallowed the gasp of shock that bubbled in her throat as Tori sheathed her saber and studied Senks's lifeless form.

"I can understand your desire to eliminate him," Vowrawn's voice broke the silence. "We'll find some other way to win the war on Corellia." Vette couldn't quite tell whether the Darth was angry or amused. Tori clearly picked up on his peculiar tone as well, as she turned to face the holo and spoke.

"You did not want that spineless weasel working for you. As soon as he perceived his life was in danger, he was too willing to betray his master," she said coldly. "I'll be destroying his database here as well as a precaution."

Vowrawn nodded his acquiescence. "As you say, my dear. Now, we have more to discuss, but I prefer to do so after you're free of the compound; I'm sure Baras has ears everywhere. Contact me when you're clear."

Tori disconnected abruptly and motioned to Vette, who silently retracted the data chip then moved to stand just behind her. Two broad slashes of Tori's saber through the terminal later, the two began to retrace their steps back out to the exterior of the compound.

* * *

A soft knock on Malavai's door brought his head up from where it had been essentially buried in a datapad since bidding Andronikos farewell some hours ago. He blinked rapidly, trying to force his eyes to refocus.

"Come," he called out, and Melia stepped through the door.

"Whatcha doing?" she asked lightly, leaning against the doorframe.

"Compiling a field report of sorts for the time I spent away from the Fury." A bitter smile played across his lips as he looked back down at his work. "Just in case."

Not sure what to say, Melia just nodded. "Guess I missed the send-off, then?" she asked.

"Andronikos departed for Korriban earlier, if that's what you mean."

"And the Sith?"

"My lord and Vette are on the surface." Malavai looked back up at his sister. "She did ask you to call her by name, you know."

"I will if you will," she shot back.

"That's not.." Malavai sighed, putting the datapad aside. "I no longer enjoy that privilege. I'm not sure if you noticed -" sarcasm crept into his voice now "- but she can barely stand the sight of me."

Silence filled the room as Melia, deep in thought, studied his face. She shifted uncomfortably, obviously trying to decide whether to say something. Malavai noticed right away.

"You might as well just say it, whatever it is."

She nodded, stepping closer to him. "I don't think that door is as closed as you think it is, Malavai," she said quietly.

His gaze shot to the medbay door.

"Not the actual door, dumbass," she snorted, then quickly sobered again. "Think about it. She's Sith; she thrives on passion. If she outwardly lashes out at you in fury or hatred - well, those are passionate emotions. The lines can sometimes become blurred with relative ease - in time."

Malavai sat quietly, mulling over Melia's words as he recalled Tori's reaction to his insistence that she take his personal datapad. He felt a twinge of something take root in his chest, but he dared not call it hope. Not yet.

Melia saw that he was clearly lost in thought, so she laid a gentle hand on his shoulder then turned to leave him be. As she stepped through the doorway, she was brought up short by Lieutenant Pierce nearly colliding with her on his way past.

"'Scuse," he grunted, not meeting her eye.

"Not at all," she said politely, stepping aside to let him by.

He nodded his thanks, then paused to address her, still without looking at her directly. "Droid should have dinner ready soon. You're welcome to join us. Won't be anything fancy, but… anyway. Come if you like."

"Will this be dinner with the  _full_ crew?" she asked pointedly, her chin tilted in defiance.

Pierce's head shot up in surprise to finally look at her. "Er. Yeah, suppose so. Tell Quinn."

Her eyebrow arched. " _Please_ ," she prompted him, as if she were talking to one of her young students back on Dromund Kaas.

An unreadable expression drifted across Pierce's face, but she could swear she saw one corner of his mouth turn up.

"Please," he acquiesced, allowing himself a fleeting glance at her eyes.

"Thank you, I will." Melia turned to step back into the medbay, and Pierce stood blinking for a moment before resuming his way down the corridor.

_She_ _ **would**_ _have the stupid wanker's eyes,_  he caught himself thinking with a sigh as he ducked into his quarters.


	17. Chapter 17

A short while later, everyone aboard the Fury had gathered in the lounge, where Too-Vee had laid out a simple but ample supper. Jaesa and Lord Qet, both looking a bit bruised and disheveled, heaped their plates full and retreated to a pair of seats in a corner to commence eating ravenously together without a word spoken between them. Vowrawn, Pierce, Melia, and a freshly-shaven, though still civilian-clad Quinn were seated around a larger table, passing dishes around in awkward silence. Broonmark hovered nearby, turning up his nose at the roasted meat and sautéed vegetables and growling at Too-Vee every time he clattered past to refill another wine glass.

Darth Vowrawn surveyed the group with a keen eye, noting the different tensions weaving between the room's various occupants with a mix of amusement and curiosity. Melia, transfixed by the proximity - and apparent relative friendliness - of a member of the Dark Council, realized a split second too late that he had noticed her staring at him as she extended her glass to Too-Vee for a top-up. She gave him a tight, nervous smile despite the flush creeping up her face at being caught. Spotting an opportunity to both break the silence and have a bit of fun, Vowrawn returned the smile, raising his glass to her with a wink.

"My dear, you needn't blush so," he said, putting on his poshest accent. "I  _am_  a fine specimen of a Pureblood, and you are obviously a healthy young lady. It's no wonder you should want to look." He took a sip of wine, arching an eyebrow languorously to mask the mirth he felt rising on sensing Quinn's defensive reaction - and, if he wasn't mistaken, a faint blip of something from the lieutenant as well.

_Interesting,_ he mused, smiling engagingly at Melia with another surreptitious wink.

Melia fumbled for a second, then realized what the Darth was up to and decided to play along, though admittedly with a tiny grain of honesty folded in. She looked into Vowrawn's eyes fleetingly, letting her own twinkle back at him jovially, before responding.

"Apologies, my lord," she breathed, letting her gaze drop to the tabletop in a fair imitation of subservience tinged with fear. "I am not used to sharing a table with a man of such power and station. I was… momentarily overcome." As she finished, she brought her eyes back up to look into Vowrawn's flirtatiously.

At that, she sensed rather than heard Malavai suppress a groan of irritation next to her. Pierce, on the other hand, merely shoveled food into his mouth at an ever-accelerating pace, while Jaesa and Qet briefly paused in their own feeding frenzies to look over in surprise.

Vowrawn allowed himself a brief smirk. "Droid, let's have some music, shall we?" he intoned casually, maintaining eye contact with Melia.

Too-Vee rattled away, jabbering over his shoulder about all the available options, and Melia rose to refill drinks around the table in his absence, hiding the mischievous grin she wore all the while. As she paused at Vowrawn's side, she murmured a nearly inaudible but sincere "thank you, my lord." Giving the slightest hint of a nod, Vowrawn turned his attention to the two other men at the table.

"Tell me, gentlemen, when you began your military careers, did you ever anticipate you'd be serving the Emperor's Wrath directly?" Vowrawn asked.

Pierce sat up straighter in his chair and, for the first time since sitting at the table, put down his fork. "Can only speak for myself, of course," he began with a nasty look at Quinn, "but the work is the reward in itself. Never had intentions of trying to claw my way to a certain place; the mission was always the thing. That said, I've never felt better about my career than I do serving the Wrath. Best days of my life," he finished, again with a pointed look at Quinn.

Vowrawn gave him an approving look, then turned to Quinn. "And you, Captain?"

Quinn already sat ramrod-straight in his chair, so he merely gazed steadily at Vowrawn as he responded, his jaw firmly set. "I would feel equally proud and privileged to serve my lord in any capacity regardless of her station. She embodies all that is worth defending, honoring, and cherishing in this galaxy, and -" he shifted his glance to Pierce "- I am hers as long as she will have me at her side," he finished without so much as blinking.

"Indeed," Vowrawn remarked, careful to keep his tone neutral despite the very strong, yet different, waves of emotion coming through the Force from both men. He raised his glass in a silent toast, mulling over what he had just heard - and felt. Quinn calmly tucked back into his meal; Pierce, however, sat in silence, and it did not escape Vowrawn's notice that his knuckles had turned white where he gripped his fork. Melia quietly stood to begin helping Too-Vee clear the mess left by Jaesa and Qet, leaving the men to their respective thoughts. Just as the Darth was deliberating his next conversational maneuver, however, the chime of the holocom brought them all sharply to attention. Pierce abruptly shot out of his seat and raced to the terminal.

"He takes his duties seriously," Vowrawn observed as he calmly placed his napkin on the table and rose to his feet. Quinn couldn't fully suppress a derisive snort, at which Vowrawn looked down at him in mild amusement. "Do you disagree, Captain?"

Quinn cleared his throat and stood as well. "It is not my place to judge, my lord," he replied, gesturing that Vowrawn should lead the way. The Darth chuckled and clapped Quinn on the shoulder as he passed.

"You must be a very fine diplomat, my lad," Vowrawn said as Quinn fell into step behind him.

* * *

Tori and Vette had snuck back out of the compound where Senks had been hiding out and tucked themselves back into a relatively quiet corner among some remains of a partially-demolished building. Vette slouched against the remnants of a wall, shaking out her arms and stretching, while Tori pulled out her holocom and raised the Fury. A slightly out-of-breath Pierce answered.

"All quiet here, Wrath. Nothing suspicious, and no further attempts on Darth Vowrawn."

Before Tori could respond, Vowrawn and - much to her surprise - Quinn appeared at Pierce's side. Vowrawn clapped both men on the shoulders as he greeted Tori.

"Ah, hello, young one. You know, your men here are both excellent officers. I'm in very good hands."

Over Tori's shoulder, Vette let out a sound that was only slightly more cough than cackle as Vowrawn continued.

"Anyway, to the mission at hand. Baras's false Jedi is still at large. My operative, Shadow, is searching for him. Unfortunately, Shadow has been pinned down by enemy artillery. He has our information, but had to go radio silent to avoid capture."

Tori let her head thud back against the wall in obvious annoyance. "Does this mean I have to save his hide?"

"Oh, Shadow can take care of himself," Vowrawn replied with a dismissive gesture, "but you'll have to rendezvous with him to get the intel. He was cut off behind enemy lines at a front-line battlefield where heavy fighting is taking place - but we have a safe house in that sector, and Shadow will be waiting there. He will tell you all you need to know to confront Baras's Jedi spy."

Tori ground her teeth so hard that Vette winced. "I see. I trust you will send coordinates?"

"I could certainly do so, but if I may suggest you return and get some rest, my dear, and then I can brief you properly? As I said, Shadow can take care of himself, but getting to him will be no small feat, and it would not do for you to be injured or worse in the process. I am working with another operative on a plan to provide you with enough of a relative lull in the fighting to ease your approach somewhat."

Tori shook her head vehemently. "No, we cannot afford to wait. Send the coordinates. I will go now."

Vowrawn frowned, but did not argue. "Very well, you should have them momentarily. I know you are more than capable of handling yourself in the field, but I implore you to take extra caution. This is not a simple matter of infiltration; it is a full-scale battlefield."

"I understand," Tori said shortly. "I await your transmission. Wrath out."

"Once more unto the rancor's den?" Vette asked with a weary smile as Tori cut the transmission.

"So it would seem," Tori responded, but her focus was clearly elsewhere.

Vette frowned. "What's up, Tori?"

Tori was silent for a long moment. Just as Vette was debating whether her reflexes were quick enough to get in a poke to Tori's ribs and get away before Tori could inflict lethal damage, the Sith shook her head.

"Nothing. I'm sure it's nothing. Rest a moment more, then we'll press on."

Vette slumped back against the wall and closed her eyes, and Tori took up a similar position - but her eyes were wide open.

* * *

Pierce looked up from the holoterminal as Tori ended the transmission, meeting Vowrawn's eyes. "How bad is it, m'lord?" he asked gravely.

Vowrawn's face was, for once, sober. "I won't mislead you, Lieutenant - it's one of the worst I've seen in my time on Corellia. I fear the Wrath underestimates the sheer number of threats to her. Heavy artillery, landmines, airstrikes - all things that the Force can only provide her with so much protection against."

"She is tired," Malavai remarked quietly. "And that means she is more prone to rash decisions. She is so strong that normally she can get away with it, but there were times that I do not know if she was aware of how hard I had to work to keep her…" he trailed off, his voice becoming strangled. Vowrawn looked at him sharply.

"Do not allow fear to carry you away, Captain."

Quinn straightened. "Quite right, my lord," he said, his jaw working furiously. Vowrawn turned to him and looked as if he were about to speak kindly, but a great crashing noise from across the room interrupted him. Pierce stood with one gauntleted fist buried in an endtable, his eyes wild.

"Sorry," he spat, then yanked his arm free, spun on his heel, and headed toward the cargo bay. Quinn rolled his eyes.

"He cares for her, doesn't he? Are they lovers?" Vowrawn asked casually.

Suddenly, Quinn saw red. Before he knew what had happened, he had his hand on the hilt of his vibroknife and was poised to spring. Fortunately, the gale of laughter coming from the Darth snapped him back to reality before he could charge.

"Oh-ho, such rage! Such passion! My boy, are you sure you are not Sith?"

Trembling, Quinn forced himself to release his knife and shift into parade rest, his hands gripping his forearms so tightly behind his back that they quickly began to lose circulation.

"Apologies, my lord," he ground out. "I do not know what came over me."

"Oh, I do," Vowrawn chuckled. "It's the same thing that renders her unable to look you in the eye. You've caused her pain, haven't you? And now she spurns you, refuses to acknowledge what still exists between you? Do not worry, my lad. In time, it will only make the passion stronger. You'll see."

Quinn nearly choked on his next words. "You do not understand, my lord; it goes far beyond merely hurting her."

"Bah," Vowrawn scoffed. "She is Sith. If she truly intended for you to be out of her life, you would be. If she intended to keep you close merely to hurt you, you would not be standing here having this conversation with me. If I may offer you a word of unsolicited advice?"

Quinn nodded.

" _Fight_. Do not restrain yourself for fear of offending her. Do not merely wait meekly for her to call on you. Do not keep yourself out of her way. Love her as she loves, not as you think she should be loved."

Quinn, at a loss for words, stared blankly at the Darth who, for all intents and purposes, stood before him offering fatherly advice. Vowrawn chuckled once more and again clapped Malavai on the shoulder.

"You're a good lad, and I sense that your emotions run deep. They could give you - and her - great power if you truly let them run free. Your fear holds you back. Master it. Don't think.  _Act_."

With that, Vowrawn turned and left the room.

* * *

Tori checked her datapad impatiently.  _What could possibly be taking that damn Darth so long?_ Vette sat next to her, so still that Tori couldn't be sure whether she was awake.  _Leave it to Vette to fall asleep in the middle of a war zone._ Sighing, Tori hauled herself to her feet and, as had become her habit in recent weeks, began pacing, staring at the datapad as if willing it to chime. The screen showed an unread message from Quinn with the subject line "Field Report." She hadn't allowed herself to dwell on it since it had popped up earlier in the evening, but now it seemed to taunt her. It reminded her of the datapad she had shoved into a storage locker, too - another distraction she couldn't afford at the moment.

_Focus._ She tried to recall the image of her anger as a ball of energy in the Force, but it eluded her. Vowrawn's reticence rankled, too. She knew the situation was dangerous, but who was he to suggest it was beyond her? And if he were truly as motivated to remove the final barrier to Baras's undoing, why would he try to slow her progress?  _Jaesa did say she wasn't sure her power was fully working. Maybe she missed something._

The datapad finally beeped; Tori hastily read the coordinates displayed below yet another cautionary message from the Darth. She growled, stowing her datapad and none-too-gently nudging Vette in the hip with her boot.

"What? I'm awake," Vette shot to her feet, grumbling defensively.

"Got coordinates. Time to move. Stim up if you need to," Tori responded brusquely.

"Already burned through my stash," Vette said, her expression sheepish. Tori's face softened slightly.

"Just hang in there. This shouldn't take too long, and we'll avoid combat when at all possible. I just need you to watch my back; I'll handle the rest," Tori reassured Vette, squeezing her shoulder lightly.

Vette looked at her warily but remained silent as they loaded up on the speeder and took off.

They were still several klicks out from the coordinates Vowrawn had provided when the first tremor shook them slightly off-course. Tori fought to control the speeder as Vette looked around frantically, trying to determine the source of the disturbance.

"Artillery," Tori shouted over her shoulder.

"Wonderful," Vette muttered, gripping Tori's waist more tightly. "If I die, I'm going to come back and haunt you."

"I heard that!" Tori shot back, still wrestling the speeder. Another blast sounded in the distance, but they were both ready this time, and thus remained balanced. Tori slowed, looking for a path that took them over the least debris. Finding a relatively clear section of what was once a road, she adjusted their course. Just as she began to regain speed, though, she suddenly tensed a split second before Vette heard the whine of engines flying low overhead. She was barely aware of Tori grabbing her and launching them both off the speeder before a tremendous blast felt as though it ripped through her whole body. She briefly felt the sensation of falling, then crashing - then everything went black.

* * *

Vowrawn, Jaesa, and Melia sat in the lounge of the Fury, chatting casually, each sipping a drink. Broonmark continued to lurk, but his presence had become so constant that it was easy to forget he was there, unless one happened to inhale deeply and catch his scent. Jaesa was telling a story about some couple in the Alderaanian nobility that constantly caused problems at parties when she suddenly stopped in mid-sentence and sat forward in her chair. Vowrawn immediately caught her eye.

"Yes, I felt that, too," he said with a frown. "That is her?"

Jaesa nodded, panic beginning to spread across her face. "Yes, I am nearly certain."

Before Melia could ask for clarification, both Sith rose quickly and moved to the holoterminal, so she followed.

"I will try to raise her," Vowrawn was saying. "You alert the captain; tell him to have the medbay ready, just in case."

Jaesa raced off, Melia hot on her heels. If Melia's fears were true, she knew Malavai would need to stay focused, and she would do her best to help that happen.

Vowrawn hastily punched in the frequency for Tori's comm, cursing when the call would not connect. He turned to Broonmark, addressing him directly for the first time since boarding the Fury.

"Keep trying to reach her," he barked. "Let me know the minute you're able to connect."

Broonmark growled in assent, rushing over to take the comm. Vowrawn quickly made his way down to the medbay, where Jaesa was trying to explain her suspicions to Quinn.

"No, I  _don't_  know for sure," she was saying, clearly exasperated. "But I felt something, Quinn, and I know it was her. I just don't know exactly what's wrong; only that something has happened." She cut off abruptly on seeing the Darth enter the room.

"My lord, were you able to reach her?" Melia asked.

Vowrawn shook his head. "I'm afraid the call would not connect. I've got the Talz in there now trying to get through to her."

"She likely turned the unit off," Malavai said, his voice strained. "She often does that in highly delicate combat situations where she wishes to move undetected as much as possible."

"I suppose all we can do is wait, then." Melia tried to keep her tone as calm as she could. "Malavai, are you prepared here?"

"Yes, of course," Quinn barked, clearly trying to remain in control.

"Good. Jaesa, can you be ready to go to the surface, in case we need to try to retrieve them?"

Jaesa's response was drowned out by the sound of Pierce charging down the corridor.

"What the hell is going on?" he roared. "Damn Talz isn't making any sense!"

Vowrawn held up a hand. "Calm yourself, Lieutenant. We do not yet know exactly what the situation is, but both Jaesa and I felt something in the Force that suggests perhaps the Wrath and the Twi'lek have encountered some trouble. We have not been able to raise her by holo, but as the captain has pointed out, it is possible Wrath merely has turned it off."

Pierce made an impatient gesture, spinning on his heel and rushing to the holoterminal, bodily shoving Broonmark out of the way. The Talz shrieked in protest, but stopped short at seeing the murderous glare on Pierce's face as he hurriedly put in a series of commands.

"Trying Vette," Pierce explained tersely as Vowrawn approached. The Pureblood nodded, but stayed silent as he watched Pierce work, then slam his fist into the console in frustration.

"Nothing," he growled as Melia, Quinn, and Jaesa entered.

"Going to destroy more furniture, then?" Quinn sniped.

Pierce began to charge at him, but Melia quickly shoved her way in between them.

" _Enough!_ " she snapped, but Pierce merely towered over them both.

"You better move," he hissed at Melia. "Don't fancy hurting a woman that hasn't swung at me first."

"Hurt her and I will slit your throat where you stand!" Quinn snarled, pulling his vibroknife.

Pierce's retort was cut off by a snarl from Vowrawn as all three of them flew in different directions, each landing heavily on the floor.

"All of you, that is quite enough." The Darth's tone was suddenly icy. He stepped over to Melia and extended a hand to her. "Apologies, my dear, but it seemed the only option."

"It's fine." Melia accepted Vowrawn's help off the floor and strode quickly to Pierce. Before he could say a word, she reached out and slapped him sharply across the cheek.

"There," she spat. "Next time you don't have to be afraid to take a swing at me, if that's what will make you feel more of a man." Quinn let out a hoarse chuckle, and she rounded on him. "And  _you_ \- I'll slit my own throats, thank you very much! Just mind your stupid mouth and maybe we wouldn't find ourselves in these situations!"

Before she could continue her tirade, the comm sounded, and every single one of them dove for the terminal. Somehow, Quinn was fastest, and he smashed into the console in his haste to put the call through.

"Wrath? My lord...  _Tori?_ " His voice rose on each variation, echoing in the suddenly silent room. Finally, they heard static as the call managed to finish connecting.

* * *

_What the hell is sitting on my chest? And why can't I frigging move? Okay, Vette, calm. Think. What do you remember?_

Vette tried to breathe as deeply and steadily as she could, given whatever it was that pinned her and her racing nerves. For a moment her thoughts were hopelessly muddled, but she soon remembered everything, she thought: the tremors from the artillery, sniping at Tori, the blast of whatever-it-was from overhead just as Tori bailed them off the speeder. She blinked rapidly, trying to clear her vision, but she couldn't see much - wherever she was, it was dark. Tentatively, she began flexing her fingers and toes, then her wrists and ankles, and soon discovered that she seemed mostly uninjured, just… stuck. She gingerly reached up to try to feel whatever was holding her down, and she gasped as she realized it was Tori, who was seemingly unresponsive.

Choking back a panicked sob, Vette began trying to carefully slither her way out from under her friend. She could see now that there was something above Tori, and she didn't know what it was. Slowly, she freed herself centimeter-by-centimeter until she could finally flip herself over and get a better look at their situation. What she saw sent icy ribbons of terror shooting through her entire body: They had been tucked into a gap below where one section of the road had buckled, and Tori had obviously used her body to shield Vette. Tori lay crumpled on her side, a pool of blood gathering under her hips and legs, and the bruising on her face indicated she'd definitely taken a hit to the head.

Vette swallowed hard to keep the nausea at bay as she crawled over and frantically began checking Tori for signs of life. The relief she felt at finding a steady, though muted pulse was quickly extinguished when she noticed the large piece of durasteel embedded in Tori's left thigh. Gritting her teeth, she hurriedly used her rarely-touched vibroknife to slice off one of her jacket sleeves and used it to make a clumsy tourniquet for Tori's leg. Once she had it as tight as she could possibly secure it, she fumbled in her pockets and was relieved to find her comm unit intact. Ignoring the blinking that indicated she had missed a call, she punched in the Fury's frequency with shaking hands, cursing at the time it took for the call to connect.

" _Tori?_ " Quinn's frantic voice broke through before an image could resolve.

"No," Vette sobbed, the relief at getting through to someone finally loosening the last tenuous grip on her composure. "She's - oh, Goddess, Quinn, she's lost a lot of blood. She's alive, but she's unconscious and she's got a huge chunk of shrapnel in her leg; it must have hit an artery through the armor somehow, and I've got a tourniquet on her but I don't think I can-"

"Vette!" Quinn's training had kicked in, and he was suddenly all business. His sharp rebuke slowed her verbal onslaught.

"Yes, sorry - what do I do?" she cried.

"Take a deep breath, then look at her carefully. Does she appear to have any broken bones, or can you tell if she has an obvious spinal injury?"

Vette gently felt up and down Tori's limbs, neck, and back.

"Not that I can tell," she responded. "I do think she took a hit to the head, though, based on the bruising." She cautiously brushed her fingertips over the back of Tori's skull. "No major bumps, though - is that good?"

Quinn's voice sounded as if it was very far away. "It might be. Look, we obviously need to get her out of there. Do you still have the speeder?"

Vette looked around, her heart sinking as she spotted pieces of the speeder's body lying some meters away. "That's a negative," she croaked, but even as she spoke, a distant sound caught her ear. "Wait," she breathed. "Stay quiet and hold on." Setting the comm down, she carefully climbed up and tucked herself against the debris that had been overhead, squinting at an object slowly approaching. As it drew closer, she grinned - perhaps luck wasn't totally against her, after all. It seemed to be a larger speeder, likely a Republic patrol vehicle of some sort. Muttering a quick prayer that they still worked, she unholstered her blasters and set them charging. She had exactly one chance to get this right, and if she failed, she and Tori were both dead.

As the vehicle drew within range, Vette rolled her shoulders, ignoring the shooting pain she felt as she did so, and slowly drew her arms into position. Once she could get a clear shot at the driver, she exhaled and squeezed off a quick volley. The driver instantly slumped over, sending the speeder weaving. Luckily, he fell away from the throttle, so by the time Vette got a shot in at the passenger, the speeder had nearly come to a halt. She watched it shudder to a stop, then leapt down and snatched the comm back up, grinning broadly.

"Okay, I've got us a ride," she said. "Can't bring it to the spaceport, though. Where can you meet us?"


	18. Chapter 18

Almost before she finished speaking, Vette heard a muffled roar from the comm as everyone on the Fury apparently began strategizing at once. After only a few short seconds, however, Malavai's voice rang out tinnily over the din.

" _Quiet!_ "

The chatter immediately ceased, though Vette thought she heard a lingering growl or two from either Pierce or Broonmark - she couldn't be sure which. Before Quinn could say more, her relief at having transportation was suddenly derailed by a realization.

"I don't know if I can get her into the speeder, though," she said, her voice shaking. "If I try to move her, I might hurt her more."

She could see Quinn's image nodding. "Yes, you may. But if you don't, she will likely bleed out. Your options are limited here, Vette."

Before Vette could respond, she heard a small groan from where Tori lay. "Hold it," she blurted. "She may be coming to." Setting the comm down once more, Vette dropped to kneel at Tori's side.

"Hey," she murmured softly to the Sith. "Tori, can you hear me?"

Tori's looked up at her, her gaze slightly unfocused. "Vette?" she croaked.

Vette smiled despite the tears running unchecked down her face. "Yeah, it's me. We hit a bit of a snag, and you apparently decided to play the hero. You've got a-"

"- large chunk of metal in my damn leg, yes, I see that." Tori growled through gritted teeth.

Panicked laughter bubbled out of Vette's throat. "Pretty much. Do you think you're seriously hurt otherwise? You know what, here." She snatched up the comm and held it up to Tori so she could talk to Quinn. "Tell the medic how you feel, not me."

"My lord?" Malavai's voice was strained. "Are you able to move your arms and your uninjured leg?"

Tori did so. "Yes," she hissed through a pained groan. Vette saw Malavai's shoulders slump in relief.

"All right. How is your vision? Do you remember what happened? Are you feeling at all nauseated?" Quinn rapid-fired.

"Fine, yes, and no," Tori spat back. "Airstrike, close range, obviously not directed at us, but we were in the debris field."

"Good. We must get you to the medbay as soon as possible to treat your leg. Vette will assist you in getting into the speeder she's acquired, and then we will make arrangements for a rendezvous. You will need to move your leg as little as you possibly can, and do everything possible to keep the object in it as stable as you can. Vette?"

"I'm here."

"Work as quickly and carefully as you can. I will comm you once we've determined a safe rendezvous point. Head in the general direction of the spaceport in the interim."

"Got it."

"Fury out." Quinn disconnected.

Vette pocketed her comm, swallowing hard. "Okay. I'm going to help you up to the ledge here, and then I'll go get the speeder." She looked around until she spied a somewhat large, relatively flat piece of metal. "Hang on."

Tori, however, was two steps ahead of her. As soon as she realized what Vette was looking at, she called it over with the Force, letting it down with a thud at Vette's feet. The effort left Tori visibly drained, and Vette was dismayed at the rate at which the color was fading from Tori's face. Pushing that thought aside, Vette quickly set the sheet of metal up at an angle to the lowest point of the edge of the road above and helped Tori get settled in a sitting position atop it with her back to the ledge, her good leg bracing her and the injured leg straight out in front of her, the chunk of durasteel still jutting garishly from the side of her thigh.

"Okay, if you can just keep your leg as stable as you can, I'll pull. Grab the ledge when you can," Vette directed as she scrambled up to the edge of the road.

Tori grunted an affirmation.

"Okay, here goes." Vette willed her hands to stay steady and summoned every bit of strength she had as she crouched and, gripping Tori under the arms, pulled as Tori pushed with her uninjured leg, and together they got Tori up the makeshift ramp to the edge of the road's surface. Once Tori was balanced on the edge with her leg still stretched out on the ramp, Vette leapt back down into the crevice and crouched under the sheet of metal.

"Ready?" she shouted up.

"Just do it," Tori growled, the pain she felt evident in her tone.

Vette slowly pushed the sheet up with her body until she was holding it level above her head, then carefully pivoted so that its entire length eventually rested on solid ground.

"You set?" she called up to Tori.

"Yes."

Once again, Vette scurried up to the road's surface. Tori had collapsed onto her back, a sheen of sweat covering her face. Thinking quickly, Vette ran over to the speeder and dug around under the seat - doing her best to ignore the corpses still sprawled inside - until she came up with what looked like a first-aid kit. She pried it open and found a couple of painkiller stims and some small kolto syringes. Rushing back to Tori, she quickly injected her with one of the stims; Tori's lack of protest was a testament to the true severity of her condition. Vette looked at Tori's leg and saw that the bleeding was increasing again, so she made a snap decision and used her vibroknife to cut away the bottom half of the camisole she wore under her leathers. After dousing the scrap of material as liberally as possible with the limited kolto she had, she gingerly tucked it around the metal protruding from Tori's thigh, doing her best to pack the open parts of the wound without jostling the object.

"Just hang in there a little longer, okay?" Vette wasn't sure if she meant the words more for Tori or for herself, but regardless, she knew she was running out of time. Tori had stopped responding verbally, though she was still conscious and following Vette's movements with her eyes. Vette ran back over to the speeder and jumped in, shoving the driver's body aside. She pulled it alongside the crevice near where Tori lay, then hastily dragged the two corpses out of the speeder and rolled them down into the pit, steadfastly ignoring both the rising weakness in her limbs and the sick feeling in her stomach. A rustling noise from Tori's direction caught her ear, and she turned to see Tori trying to struggle to a sitting position on the ground. Before she could rush over and help, though, Tori held up a hand as if to stop her. Confused, Vette hovered nearby but didn't make a move to touch the Sith, who appeared to be meditating. After a moment, Tori opened her eyes and looked at Vette.

"Help me up," she said weakly.

"Are… are you sure? I mean, we could try to use the -"

"No, this will be faster. I'm ready. Help me up."

"All right," Vette agreed reluctantly. She maneuvered herself into a crouch facing Tori's left side, pulling Tori's arm over her shoulders and using her own arms to create a sling of sorts for Tori's injured leg. Slowly, they rose together and moved the few steps to the speeder, Vette stepping sideways and Tori awkwardly hopping. With the aid of a Force-assisted jump from Tori, they managed to get her onto the speeder's seat, her leg braced against the dashboard for lack of a better option. Vette hurried around to the driver's side of the speeder and hopped in, then pointed the speeder's nose in the general direction of the spaceport and opened the throttle, just as Tori passed out.

* * *

"Here. If I recall, this area is relatively sparsely populated and thus not likely to be occupied by many forces, be they Republic, CorSec, or even Imperial. It wouldn't do for Baras to catch wind of the Wrath being injured." Darth Vowrawn pointed at an area between the Blastfield Shipyards area and the Imperial spaceport on the map console as he spoke.

"Agreed. But how do we get her to the ship without drawing attention?" Pierce's brow was furrowed. "A Sith with an obvious serious injury isn't exactly a common sight off the battlefield."

"I have an idea for that," Quinn interjected, his face grim. "She'll hate it, but it should work."

Pierce said nothing, but levelled a glower at Quinn. Vowrawn nodded in approval.

"Excellent," he said. "Lieutenant, if you'll contact Miss, er, Vette, was it?" The Darth was clearly not accustomed to referring to Twi'leks personally, only ever having encountered them as slaves, but it was clear that the one serving the Wrath was respected by the crew, if grudgingly in some cases. Besides, he liked the girl's spunk, if he were completely honest.

"Yes, m'lord," Pierce immediately began placing the call.

"Meanwhile, Captain, you make whatever preparations you need-"

"Actually, my lord, I believe I should remain here and prep the medbay. I am certain the Wrath will require immediate surgery, and I will lose valuable time if I have to prep after she arrives. I believe Jaesa and Lieutenant Pierce should make the rendezvous, accompanied by my sister. She has some basic medical training and can help keep the Wrath stable."

"As you say. Shall I send everyone to the medbay for a briefing?"

"Thank you, my lord; that would be most helpful." Quinn spun on his heel and strode briskly to the medbay.

Pierce disconnected with Vette. "Sorry, m'lord. Did I hear you say I'm to report to - him?" He fought to keep his tone respectful despite his clenched jaw.

Vowrawn regarded Pierce coolly, though not unkindly. "For the moment, yes. He is, after all, the one with a plan. Is that a problem for you?"

Pierce's signature stoic facade failed him for a moment as the Darth watched a gamut of emotions run across his face. "With all due respect, my lord, how can you be sure that whatever the captain has planned is the best approach, if you have not even heard it yourself?" Pierce's voice remained calm even as his eyes belied what churned beneath.

"It is not only the Jedi who can feel truth, my boy," Vowrawn replied mildly. "You are not beholden to his orders - nor mine, for that matter - but I feel certain that if Torilya is to survive and recover in time to bring Baras down, we must follow his instincts at this moment."

A moment of silence passed before Pierce mustered a response. "As you say, m'lord," he eventually ground out before inclining his head in a respectful gesture and heading toward the medbay.

By the time he made the short trip down the corridor, Melia and Jaesa had already joined Quinn in the small space.

"You'll need to procure a larger landspeeder," Quinn was saying, "one with adequate seating for the three of you, Vette, plus the Wrath in the cargo space."

"Sorry," Pierce blustered, "Did you say  _cargo space?_ "

"Yes," Quinn snapped. "She will be sedated and secured to a stretcher inside a body bag. Melia will see to it that she has an ample supply of oxygen. It is the best way to get her through the spaceport without drawing attention as well as keeping her injured leg as stable as possible, not to mention avoiding making any internal injuries we are unaware of worse."

"She's going to hate this," Pierce grumbled in response.

"Well, she's not going to survive to hate it if we don't move now," Quinn spat. "Melia, be sure you scan Vette as well," he added. "She's likely running on so much adrenaline at the moment that she could be injured and have no idea that is the case. Just do your best to keep them both stable and calm, and comm me if you run into trouble."

Melia nodded as she began to gather supplies and stuff them into a rucksack, beginning with a lightweight, collapsible stretcher.

"Jaesa, you're along for protection purposes as well as to help locate them in case of any confusion regarding the rendezvous point," Quinn continued to brief the room in a businesslike manner. "Are you still able to sense her?"

Jaesa nodded. "It's faint, likely because she's either unconscious or near it, but it's still there."

"Good. Lieutenant," Quinn turned to Pierce, "I'll be waiting here with the medbay prepped."

"Let's go, then," Pierce barked to the women, ignoring Quinn altogether. He stalked out of the medbay, Melia and Jaesa following right behind.

* * *

As Vette guided the speeder toward the coordinates Pierce had given her, she periodically reached over to make certain Tori was still breathing and that her leg was still more or less braced. She felt her own hands growing shaky, and it took all of her concentration to press on.

_Just a bit further,_  she thought, leaning into the throttle a little harder. Her limbs grew heavier and she had to fight progressively harder to keep the speeder on course, but finally she reached the coordinates Pierce had sent. Spying a slightly protected area in the remnants of what had likely been an office building of some sort, she steered the speeder into a spot that she figured would be least visible to any passers-by, cut the engines, and slumped back into the seat to await their friends, one hand on her blaster, the other resting lightly on Tori's abdomen.

She was vaguely aware of time passing, of muted sounds nearby, but she felt almost as if she were underwater. Relying on her instincts to tell her if danger approached, she focused on monitoring Tori's breathing, which was slow and shallow, but steady. After a while - whether it was minutes or hours she wasn't sure - Jaesa's voice cut through the fog in her brain.

"There they are. Pull up alongside. I'll keep watch"

Vette forced herself alert and was surprised to see that the sun was rising. Squinting as her eyes adjusted to the light, she saw a speeder similar to the one she had commandeered drawing next to them with Pierce, Jaesa and Melia staring anxiously back at her from inside. She forced a feeble wave.

"Hey," she greeted them weakly. "She's breathing. I packed the wound as best as I could… I don't-" she trailed off, suddenly finding it very hard to draw breath.

"Shh," Melia shushed her. "You're okay. Just get in; we'll take it from here."

Too spent to argue, Vette accepted the hands Pierce offered her and collapsed into the seat of the rented speeder, finally allowing her eyes to slide closed. She felt the prick of a needle in her arm and a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Rest now; you're just experiencing an adrenaline crash. You'll be all right," Melia murmured to her. She squeezed Vette's shoulder briefly before turning her attention to Tori.

"Where'd you learn all this stuff, anyway?" Vette heard Pierce grumble, but she slid into unconsciousness before she caught the response.

"She's out," Jaesa said softly.

Melia, fully focused on Tori, nodded. "Good. To answer your question - not that it matters - I spent a year in the military academy. Learned basic field medicine there. Picked up a few things from Malavai, too." Her eyes flickered briefly to Pierce. "I'm certainly more qualified than you," she snapped, their earlier squabble clearly not forgotten.

Pierce snorted, but wisely didn't snap back. "What d'you need me to do?"

"Get the stretcher and the bag ready, then we'll need to slide it under her and make sure her leg is secured. I've got her sedated and I'll get oxygen on her while you do that. The sedative will slow her respiration enough that she won't appear to be breathing, but she'll be getting plenty of air."

While Pierce set up the stretcher and worked the bag over its legs, Melia slid a tiny clip into Tori's nose, where it all but blended into her skin. She threaded the fine, clear tube attached to it over Tori's ear and behind her head, tucking it and the attached small respirator unit behind her neck. Pulling a remote from her pocket, she adjusted the settings, then turned to Pierce with a nod. Pierce and Melia quickly got Tori secured on the stretcher, and Pierce blanched as he watched Melia close the bag over Tori's face.

"I know," she said quietly, catching his expression. "It's creepy, but she'll be fine in there. We just need to get her back to the ship now."

They loaded the stretcher into the cargo space on the speeder then piled in. Pierce set a course for the spaceport, wasting no time as he pushed the speeder to its limits. Soon, they found themselves drawing near the outer entrance. With a furtive look around, Pierce pulled into the shadows outside the tram pavilion nearby.

"What are we doing with Vette?" he asked, his voice low.

Jaesa, who had been silent for most of the trip, suddenly grinned. "Follow my lead," she said as she reached across Vette's sleeping form to clap something around her neck, then shook her vigorously. Still heavily feeling the effects of the sedative Melia had administered, Vette cracked an eye open, too groggy to protest.

"Wha?" she grunted, then seemed to realize something was around her neck. She hauled a hand up to touch it, then bolted upright more quickly than her body could truly handle, nearly falling over in the other direction. "The f-" she started to say, her gaze fixing on Jaesa, who held up a hand.

"Easy," she hissed, though the sardonic smile hadn't totally faded. "We're to the spaceport, and we need to try to make sure no one recognizes you. You'll play the part of my personal slave. Lose your jacket and your headband, stay behind me, and keep your eyes down."

"How the hell did you find this?" Vette snarled in a whisper, gesturing to her old slave collar.

Jaesa rolled her eyes. "You can try to kick my ass later," she said, her hushed tone laced with sarcasm. "Come on, let's move." She jabbed Pierce in the shoulder as Vette reluctantly shucked her jacket, dropping it over the side of the speeder, and they made their way to the spaceport.

"I liked that jacket," Vette griped under her breath as she pulled off the headband and quickly shoved it into a pocket on Melia's rucksack just before they all clambered out of the speeder.

"I'll buy you a new one," Jaesa huffed impatiently. "Just shut up and look meek."

Vette scowled, tugging on the bottom of her shredded top, but complied, falling into step just behind Jaesa. Pierce and Melia unloaded the stretcher and took the lead, Jaesa sweeping behind with arrogance oozing from every pore. They drew a few glances, but a glare from Jaesa prevented anyone from coming too close or asking any questions, until they got within a few yards of the lift that would take them to the docking bays. A security officer stopped them, his voice haughty.

"Do you have the proper authorization to transport that corpse off-planet?" he sneered at Pierce, despite being a head shorter and quite a few kilos lighter than the lieutenant. Pierce bristled and started to respond, but Jaesa stepped forward and cut him off.

"And do  _you_ have the proper authorization to meddle in Sith business?" Jaesa's eyes took on an eerie glow, and Pierce swore he saw the briefest flicker of lightning gather at her fingertips. The security guard took a step back.

"My lord," he stammered, but didn't drop the subject. "My apologies, but I must ensure that everything runs to procedure here; surely you understand."

"Oh, certainly," Jaesa drawled. "And surely  _you_  understand that when my master demands a corpse delivered,  _I_  must ensure that everything runs to his specifications, regardless of anything foolish enough to get in my way." With that, she languidly flicked a wrist, sending the guard sailing back to crash into the wall next to the lift doors. "I'm sure he'd consider yours a lovely bonus," she casually tossed over her shoulder as she pressed the button for the lift, waving Pierce and Melia forward. As they entered the lift, the guard coughed and began to protest again.

"You are persistent, aren't you?" The words were barely out of Jaesa's mouth before she let an intense, but brief burst of lightning fly from her fingertips. "Come along, slave," she said calmly to Vette, who followed her into the lift with a sad look back at the man writhing on the floor.

Once the lift doors were sealed shut and they'd begun the trip upwards, Vette rounded on Jaesa.

"What the hell? You don't think that's going to draw attention? And since when do you go around flinging lightning at people? This was not an excuse for you to parade around like a big scary Sith Lord! Is that the only reason you came along? So you could feel all important for once? You are a sick, twisted bitch, you know that? I know you don't give a damn about what happens to me, and I'm fine with that, but I cannot believe you'd be so careless when Tori's  _life-"_

" _Enough,_  Vette," Pierce broke in, though he glared at Jaesa as he spoke. "We can hash all that out later."

Vette fell silent, but she was still fuming when the lift arrived at their docking bay. They filed out, hurrying toward the Fury's airlock. Broonmark was waiting for them with the door open so that they could bring Tori to the medbay without stopping, where Too-Vee waited outside the door.

"Master Quinn has instructed me to look after Mistress Vette," he warbled as soon as they were within sight. "He asks that you bring our lord directly inside." He jumped aside as Jaesa bodily shoved past him, clearly in a hurry to get away from the group.

"Come on, Too-Vee," Vette sighed. "Let's get this over with." She allowed the droid to clamp his hand around her arm and escort her to the lounge while Pierce and Melia got Tori into the medbay, where Quinn was waiting, already prepped and dressed for surgery.

"On the table there, please," he instructed briskly. "Melia, I'll need you to scrub up and be prepared to assist. Lieutenant, once Too-Vee has seen to Vette, please send him back to me and make certain Vette rests."

Pierce merely grunted a response as he helped hoist the stretcher onto the table and quickly opened the bag. He started to reach in and touch Tori's wrist to assure himself she was still alive, but Melia stopped him.

"We'll need to move her once more," she said, nodding toward a backboard atop the second table. "We've got to get her clear of the bag so he can work."

Carefully, they got Tori transferred to the other table. Quinn stepped forward and began hooking her to various monitors as he continued to bark instructions without looking up.

"Thank you, Lieutenant; please seal the medbay door as you leave. Melia, please see to her clothing. We may have to cut her leggings."

Pierce slowly backed out of the medbay, sealing the door as he was asked. He shoved aside the fear and anger roiling within him, though not before letting loose a few muttered epithets as he walked toward the lounge, where Too-Vee was tending to Vette's cuts and bruises as she talked to Darth Vowrawn. All three looked up at him as he entered.

"She's in surgery now," he said gruffly. "Quinn wants the droid to report to the medbay once Vette's taken care of."

"Go, Too-Vee," Vette said wearily. "I'm fine. I'll eat something, I promise. Shoo." She dropped back onto the cushions of the sofa, and Too-Vee clomped away.

"Vette has told me all that she knows about what happened," Vowrawn said to Pierce. "It sounds as if it truly was coincidental, which is preferable to a targeted attack, of course, though I hate that it happened at all."

Pierce merely nodded.

"What is the Wrath's condition?" Vowrawn asked.

"Dunno," replied Pierce. "Looked like a nasty impalement wound, probably a lot of blood loss."

Vowrawn nodded gravely. "I'm sure the captain is perfectly capable of repairing the damage. His service records indicate that he is an extremely skilled medical officer."

Rather than try to come up with an appropriate response, Pierce strode to the galley and rummaged through cabinets until he found a bottle of Corellian whiskey. He held up the bottle in a silent offer to Vowrawn, who nodded his acceptance. As Pierce poured a liberal amount into two squat tumblers, a small blue hand flew into the air over one of the arms of the sofa, fingers making a grasping gesture. Pierce chuckled despite himself and quickly poured a third. He carried the drinks over and distributed them, and they all drank deeply, settling in for a long wait for news from the medbay.

About an hour in, the holoterminal chimed with an incoming message. Pierce hauled himself to his feet and trudged over to find a text-only message from Andronikos:

_Having issues connecting calls in hyperspace. On my way back. Cargo was well-behaved and safely delivered. Be there within 18 hours. - Revel_

"Revel is on his way," Pierce announced to the room at large as he returned to his seat. "Says your apprentices are safe and that they behaved themselves."

Vowrawn snorted in response. "They're no longer underfoot; therefore, I'm satisfied."

The room fell silent once more, as no one had the fortitude to maintain a conversation. Another hour passed before Quinn finally emerged from the medbay, bringing everyone in the lounge to attention as he entered and addressed them all.

"The Wrath is stable and resting. I was able to remove the object, stop the bleeding, and repair the damaged femoral artery, though she did begin to hemorrhage at one point during surgery. She will be under sedation for at least the next twelve hours, and I will monitor her closely for signs of any further internal injury that my scans have not detected. I have placed her in a makeshift kolto bath in an effort to prevent as much long-term nerve damage as possible in her injured leg. I would have preferred the tank, but knowing the Wrath's dislike for confinement, felt this would reduce the likelihood of any… incidents upon her return to consciousness."

Quinn stopped to take a breath and heard simultaneous sighs of relief from Vowrawn and Vette. Pierce, however, continued to stare blankly straight ahead.

"How long do you expect her recovery to take, Captain?" Vowrawn asked quietly.

"In all honesty, I am trying to buy as much time as I can with sedation, my lord," Quinn replied. "My hope is that the kolto bath will speed her healing as much as possible, but I can essentially guarantee you that she will not allow sufficient recovery time. For most patients I would recommend limiting use of the leg for a matter of weeks, but…" he trailed off.

"Indeed," Vowrawn said, then seemed to be lost in thought for a moment before continuing. "Thank you, Captain; please let me know when I may see her."

Quinn ducked his head in acknowledgement and hurried back to the medbay, where Melia had just finished disposing of the last of the biowaste from the surgery.

"Thank you," Malavai said quietly. "For everything. Please go get some rest. I'll stay here and monitor her."

Melia eyed him for a moment. "Are you all right?" she asked.

Malavai studied Tori's face, for once peaceful thanks to the effects of sedation. "I am now," he said, dropping into a chair at her side.

Melia stepped over and pulled him into a quick, tight hug, then left him to his vigil. He listened for the sound of the medbay door sealing, then leaned forward until his forehead rested against Tori's. He inhaled deeply, catching her scent despite the astringent odor of the kolto, then dipped a gloved hand into the bath to find one of hers, squeezing it lightly.

"Didn't lose you," he breathed.


	19. Chapter 19

While Tori slept in the medbay, a willowy woman sat in a small, dark room watching several holoterminal displays. Her brow furrowed as she caught sight of one in particular. Quickly, she reached out to stop the playback and reverse it. Her frown deepened as she slowed the playback and watched the last several moments, then she input a rapid stream of commands into the terminal before placing a call.

"Servant Eleven to base. Transmitting footage from spaceport cameras. Confirm that individuals involved are associates of the Wrath. I await your instruction."

"Receiving your transmission. Hold."

Servant One gestured to Servant Two, who silently joined him at the holoterminal. Together, they watched the grainy images of Jaesa, Vette, Melia, and Pierce entering the spaceport with Torilya concealed within the body bag, then of the group encountering the security guard at the lift, and finally of Jaesa's display toward the guard. Servant One turned to the hooded man beside him with a frown.

"They carried the Wrath, did they not?"

Servant Two nodded slowly. "Yes. I sense that she yet lives, but is injured. Her associates try to conceal her injury from Baras's agents, no doubt. She is tested once more. As the betrayer once risked her life, now he fights to save it. It comes full circle. The apprentice is tested as well; she fights to understand her true identity. She poses no direct risk to the Wrath, though her actions may pose additional challenges."

"We must deal with the guard and remove the footage. I will order our slicers to handle the recording. Deploy a team to dispose of the guard and ascertain whether others pose a risk. No more than two. We must move swiftly and silently."

Servant Two retreated, leaving Servant One at the terminal.

"Eleven, maintain surveillance protocol. We are dispatching personnel to take care of both the recorded footage and the guard."

"Understood. What of the apprentice?"

"Servant Two will continue to monitor the situation. She is unstable, but we do not sense that her loyalties are swayed. She must remain with the Wrath."

"Very well. Eleven out."

Servant Two rejoined Servant One as he disconnected the call, then turned to face Two with a troubled countenance.

"Time is against her."

"She is worthy. She will rise."

* * *

Jaesa sat in her quarters, completely at a loss. She was furious, she thought, but more than anything she just felt lost. Conflicted. Too many different emotions warring within her at once. She'd enjoyed using her new trick, courtesy of Qet, on that security guard - something about being able to channel her fury out of her body - but now that it was over, she still felt unsatisfied.

Vette's tirade was enough to make her want to spit. She  _was_  Sith now, wasn't she? Shouldn't she behave as one?

As  _one_. There was the rub. She knew which Sith she wanted to emulate, and she couldn't seem to get her attention for more than a few seconds at a time. She craved Tori's approval and yet resented the crew's admiration of her.

Her musings were broken when she sensed a presence outside her door. Qet. Silently, she opened the door with the Force, and he stepped in, sealing it behind him.

"What troubles you, sweet thing?" He swaggered over to where she sat curled up on her bunk.

She didn't want to talk, and he knew it. He was trying to push her buttons, and  _she_ knew it. And yet…

She seized his collar and yanked. Grinning, he fell, catching himself on his forearms and holding himself above her.

"Manka got your tongue, love?" he purred, and she struck, all teeth and nails.

* * *

Vowrawn sat at the holoterminal, seamlessly typing away at a message while strategizing with Pierce.

"Time is of the essence. As the Wrath is unable to make her way to Shadow to get his intel, we must orchestrate some way for him to escape so that he can make contact and we can go from there."

"Ideas, m'lord?"

"I have some troops at my disposal that I can direct to a location that should provide adequate distraction for Shadow to slip out in the chaos, but I am afraid it will mean heavy losses that could possibly weaken our position in further battles. As crucial as it is that the Wrath continue to weaken Baras, I fear risking the war for Corellia may mean yet more trouble in the long run."

Pierce was silent for a moment, obviously deep in thought.

"Let me provide support. I have a few old friends I can call. Black ops. We may be able to pull a few tricks to keep losses at a minimum. Probably gonna take a call from you to get some of them leave to meet us, though. And some may be too far flung to get here in time."

"Excellent, Lieutenant. Give me names and I'll start working while you prepare to go down to the surface."

Pierce nodded stiffly, then began making notes on his datapad. Handing it to Vowrawn, he hurried off to his quarters. As he passed the medbay, he thought he heard Quinn's voice. He paused outside the door, hand poised over the security lock, but quickly lowered it as he saw Melia approaching. She shot him a hard look.

"I wouldn't do that unless it's an emergency."

"Dunno. Heard voices, and not hers. Got any clue what he might be doing in there?" Pierce jeered.

Melia's nostrils flared as she pulled herself up to get as in his face as she physically could.

"He is caring for her. If he is speaking to her, there is a reason, and a good one. I hardly think you bursting in and causing a ruckus is going to speed her recovery," she snarled.

Pierce growled, but lowered his hand.

"Now, if you want, I can step in and check on her," Melia said, her tone a shade gentler.

Pierce paused for a moment, then shook his head.

"Not yet. I'm going to have to go to the surface soon, though. Maybe before I leave."

Melia nodded. "Let me know."

"Thanks," Pierce grumbled, shoving his way past her.

Melia watched him go, shaking her head bemusedly.

* * *

Tori felt the odd sensation of floating, yet her limbs were heavy and refused to work. Muffled sounds around her melded into a sort of distant roar, and her eyelids would not lift despite her herculean efforts. She reached out with the Force, but those senses were dulled, too; however, there was definitely another person near her, and the signature was unmistakable, if faint.

_Quinn._

But instead of the ball of anger in her belly flaring, she felt panic rising. She was injured; she knew that. She remembered what happened. She was back on the Fury, she surmised, based on the little she could hear and sense - but where was everyone else? Why was she alone with him, and what kept her from moving?

_Breathe._

She forced herself to inhale deeply through her nose, and the smell of kolto stung her nostrils.

_Not the damn tank. He_ _ **knows**_   _not to put me in the tank. Unless…_

She tried again to open her eyes, but failed. A faint beeping sound increased in frequency.

Movement. She sensed him snap to alertness.

_Had he been sleeping?_

A hand brushed her forehead, and she tried to toss her head in protest, but her body would not obey.

"Relax," she heard him murmur, though he sounded odd, distorted. She wanted to laugh or scream - she wasn't sure which - but all that came out was a ragged gasp, and then another, and she couldn't slow them.

He continued to speak softly to her, though she was aware of him moving now, and her racing thoughts meant she couldn't make out the words he was saying.

_What is he doing? Where is he going? Why can't I karking_ _**move** _ _?_

Then he was at her side again, and she felt the jab of a needle. The panic surged. She was vaguely aware of her limbs twitching, then pressure at her shoulders as something pinned her arms to her side firmly. She gathered as deep of a breath as she could manage, preparing to scream or leap or do whatever she could - but as she inhaled, she caught a familiar scent that sent instant warmth to her belly and made her thoughts slow just a fraction.

His scent.

He must have sensed the slight shift in her demeanor, because he raised his voice and began talking to her slowly and clearly, though still in soothing tones.

"You're all right; you're in the medbay on the Fury. You've been under heavy sedation; I had to do so in order to repair your injured leg. It will take time for the sedative to fully work out of your system - it impacts the nervous system primarily - but as it does you'll be able to speak and move more freely. You are not in a tank; I had Too-Vee help me construct a makeshift bath. Once you can open your eyes, you'll see that you're not restrained."

He paused for a moment, and she did not fight him.

"I've just administered something that will help clear the effects of the sedative. That was the needle you felt. It will still take some time, but you'll feel more like yourself soon."

She wasn't responding - he wasn't sure she'd be able yet - but she had stopped trying to flail, so he pressed on, just telling her everything he could think of that would bring her some comfort. He brought his face down next to hers and loosened his grip on her arms, continuing to talk to her softly, giving her something to focus on.

"Vette is just fine, just some cuts and bruises. Melia examined her and Too-Vee has her resting. She did you proud, my lord. Hijacked a Republic patrol speeder to get you home." He paused a moment, trying to evaluate her response.

Tori's head was beginning to clear a bit, and she was able to discern the slight smile in his voice. Despite herself, she tried to lean into him a bit to encourage him to keep talking. At that, she both heard and felt his breathing accelerate.

"Vowrawn will want to see you when you feel ready, of course. He is concerned for you," Malavai continued, somewhat shakily. "They all are. Well, perhaps not that loutish Qet, so much," he grumbled, and he was delighted to see the corner of Tori's mouth turn up ever so slightly. "Oh, and evidently Captain Revel is on his way back; should be here very soon. His message indicates his trip was uneventful."

Tori shifted, and Quinn stopped talking abruptly. She turned her face toward him slightly, and seemingly with great effort, pried her eyes open. She blinked rapidly, and he saw the onslaught of emotion reflected there - anger, fear, frustration… sadness, perhaps? He swallowed hard, then gave her a gentle smile.

"It's good to see you, my lord," he whispered, and she didn't immediately look away.

* * *

Pierce hurriedly crammed his gear into a rucksack, making sure to include plenty of extra power packs for his blasters and generator. He checked his armor for the third time, ensuring everything was straight, properly shined, and secure. As much as the prospect of a mission off the ship excited him, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was somehow betraying Tori, even though he was acting for her benefit. He knew she lay injured in the medbay, and something deep within him insisted he should be on the Fury, physically guarding her until she was on her feet - and what was more troubling was that he couldn't discern whether that was the soldier in him being loyal to his commander or the man in him protecting his… well. Whatever.

And  _Quinn_ was in there, while she was vulnerable. He knew he'd supposedly worked frantically to save her, but Pierce wouldn't believe it until he saw that she was okay for himself, and he sure as hell didn't trust Quinn not to pull something while he was on the surface.

Pierce zipped his rucksack shut fiercely, delivering a punch to its middle once it was secure. Nothing for it now; he had a job to do. Shouldering his bag, he stepped into the corridor to find Melia coming toward him.

"Lieutenant," she greeted him, "I was just coming to find you. Darth Vowrawn says he's ready to brief you, if you're all set."

"'M ready," he grunted. She followed his gaze to the medbay door.

"She's not fully alert yet," Melia told him. "Malavai has given her something to help shake off the sedation, but it will take some time. She's not yet able to speak. If you'd like to see her, I can ask."

Pierce merely nodded, and she gave him a tight smile before gently rapping on the medbay door. Quinn answered, looking disheveled - he obviously hadn't left the medbay since Tori arrived. They spoke in low tones for a moment, then Quinn stepped out into the corridor.

"I'll just go clean up a bit," he said stiffly to Melia. "The lieutenant may have a moment." He brushed past Pierce, obviously heading for the refresher.

Pierce gathered his wits and stepped into the medbay. Melia's voice drifted in behind him.

"I'll be right outside, just in case. I'll close the door behind you, though."

Without acknowledging her, Pierce shuffled to Tori's side. She looked up at him from where she lay submerged to her shoulders in kolto in what appeared to be a large cargo bin lined with flimsiplast, a sheet covering the top, and pillows supporting her neck and head. One corner of her mouth lifted in what he supposed was a greeting, and he dropped to a knee beside her.

"'M headed out for a while," he said, his voice a low rumble. "Going to help Vowrawn's troops get that Shadow guy out so he can get that intel to us."

She continued to look up at him, obviously struggling to keep her eyes open, and her chin ducked; he guessed it was as close to a nod as she could muster.

"I'll get back as quick as I can. Vowrawn can keep everyone in line, but things are pretty quiet. Broonmark's wearing a path between him and your door here." Pierce attempted a grin, but it faltered. "Anyway, you rest up. Be back soon." He glanced over his shoulder, then bent to kiss her temple before hauling himself to his feet and backing out of the medbay. Once he was clear of the door, he braced himself against the wall for a moment.

"It's the sedatives," Melia said quietly. "She'll be speaking and moving again before long, then it will be a matter of trying to convince her to let the leg heal, based on what I hear about her."

Pierce nodded tersely. "Thanks," he said, then strode off to the lounge to meet with Vowrawn. Again, Melia watched him go, her brow furrowed slightly, before shrugging and stepping into the medbay herself.

"Hey," she greeted Tori softly. "Malavai just went to clean up a bit; I'm sure he'll be back in a few. Are you feeling any pain?"

Tori did her best to approximate a head shake.

"Good. I know the sedative effects must be maddening, but just hang in there. They'll lessen soon. I'll leave you to rest, unless you need anything?"

Another tiny head shake.

Melia gave Tori a small smile. "All right. Malavai will be back shortly to look in on you.  
I'm sure he'll want to check your leg soon. Just have him get me if you would prefer to have someone else present as well, okay?"

Tori looked at her with apparent curiosity, but tilted her chin down in a nod. Melia smiled again, then stepped out, closing the door behind her. Tori took in the quiet room for a moment, feeling her eyelids growing heavier still - fatigue settling in after her initial panic, she guessed. She struggled for a moment before she heard the medbay door slide open and shut, and she was aware of Malavai resuming his position at her side. She shifted to look at him once more, noting the circles under his eyes and the somewhat gaunt appearance of his face, now more obvious that the beard was gone. Before she could collect her thoughts, though, her eyes drifted shut once again.

Malavai watched her face slacken and her breathing deepen, then dimmed the medbay lights, grabbed a pillow and blanket off of one of the bunks, and pulled another chair around in front of him. He propped up his feet and got as comfortable as he dared, then allowed his own eyes to close. She'd wake again soon enough.

Some time later, the sound of the ship's airlock opening brought Quinn out of the light sleep he'd sunk into. He was alert instantly, one hand going to the knife at his thigh and the other to the blaster he'd left on one of the tables. Before he could get to his feet, however, he heard the unmistakable rumble of Andronikos's voice - talking to Vowrawn, he presumed. He glanced over to see that Tori was still sleeping and had just started to settle back down himself when he realized that Andronikos did not yet know of his daughter's injury. Quietly, Quinn rose and crept from the medbay, squinting a bit as he stepped into the relatively harsh light of the ship's corridor. He made his way to the lounge, where Vowrawn and Andronikos had evidently just sat down to a drink. He cleared his throat, hoping to make his presence known. Both men immediately looked in his direction.

"Ah, Captain," Vowrawn said, "I'm glad to see you. I was just about to tell Captain Revel about the goings-on while he was away, but you will be able to do so in more detail than I," he concluded with a meaningful look.

"Yes, my lord," Malavai responded. He steeled himself, then began to speak. As quickly as he could, he explained the situation that had resulted in Tori's injury, glossed over the details involved in transporting her back to the Fury, and concluded with a summary of the procedures taken to repair the damage.

"In short, Andronikos, she will be fine; however, the injury was quite severe, and you know as well as I that allowing time for recovery-"

"Won't happen, yeah," Nikos grumbled. He sighed and ran a hand over the stubble on his face. "Can I see her?"

"I was wondering that myself," Vowrawn interjected.

"She's not yet completely free of the sedatives, I'm afraid," Quinn told them both. "Given what Melia administered on the planet's surface in combination with the dose I administered to ensure her safety during surgery, she will not be fully alert for a while yet - though she will undoubtedly shake off the effects far sooner than the average person would. I gave her something a while ago to help clear the worst of the effects - at first, she is unable to speak or move - and that should have helped by now, but she is sleeping comfortably at this moment and I'd like to let her do so as long as possible."

Andronikos nodded, but Vowrawn grinned. "You may want to check on your patient, Captain," he said.

Without questioning him, Quinn spun on his heel and all but ran back to the medbay. Sure enough, Tori was awake and apparently trying to pull herself to a sitting position.

"My lord,  _please_ ," Malavai exclaimed, holding his hands out in front of him. "Just relax. I can get you whatever you need."

She looked at him with an expression he wasn't sure he'd see from her again - pure annoyance tinged with grudging acceptance.

"Heard voices," she rasped.

"Yes, your father has arrived back on the ship. He knows of your situation."

"Vette?"

"Still resting, my lord. She's fine, I swear to you."

Tori slammed her eyes shut for a moment. "Dizzy."

"It's the sedative," Quinn explained patiently. "Here, if you want to sit up, let me help you."

She looked at him warily, but allowed him to reposition the kolto-soaked pillows at her back and help her settle into them. She made a face as they squished behind her; he noticed immediately.

"We'll move you to a regular bed soon."

She sighed, but nodded. "The mission," she whispered, her expression turning stormy.

"Vowrawn and Pierce are on it; Pierce left for the surface right after he saw you. There's nothing for you to do but wait, so you might as well rest and let yourself heal," he said, almost teasingly. Almost like nothing had changed.

She stared at him for a moment as if she wanted to fight him, but soon slumped back into the pillows, a scowl on her face. Malavai's hand twitched at his side, the urge to smooth her brow was so strong, but he resisted.

"Rest a little longer, and soon I'll send your father and Vowrawn in to see you. Can I get you anything in the meantime?"

She studied his face for a moment. "Reading material," she finally said, her voice still ragged.

Malavai's chest tightened. "My lord?"

"Under my cot on the bridge. Two datapads." She looked down at her arms in consternation. "When I can hold them."

He fought to keep his face neutral. "Of course. I'll give you some peace and quiet for a few moments, but just call me - " he fumbled in his pocket and produced a small comm unit that he clipped to the side of the tub - "when you're ready for visitors."

She nodded, and he hesitated for a split second before heading for the door. Just as he was about to shut it behind him, he heard her speak.

"Quinn?"

He turned to face her. "Yes, my lord?" His voice was low, almost tremulous.

"Thank you."

He gripped the doorframe roughly.

"Always."


	20. Chapter 20

Tori shifted uncomfortably on the medbay bed for what felt like the umpteenth time in just a few minutes. True to his word, Quinn had gotten her out of the bath - well, Melia and Jaesa had done the actual getting her out; Quinn had hovered outside the door - but she still couldn't get comfortable. The sight of her leg propped up uselessly in front of her mocked her, reminded her of all that hung in the balance. The feeling of failure weighed on her more heavily than ever before, save for the few days immediately following the transponder station, despite Darth Vowrawn's reassurances that all was not lost: Pierce had reported in; he'd made contact with a couple of his black ops comrades on the surface, and they were quickly formulating a plan to extract Shadow, hopefully to commence within the next twelve hours.

A soft tap on the medbay door broke through her brooding, and she looked up to see Quinn poking his head into the room.

"I have those datapads you asked for, my lord, now that you're settled," he said, extending an arm to display them and congratulating himself inwardly at keeping his hand steady.

Tori struggled to sit a little more upright. "Very good, thank you." She held out a hand, and Quinn stepped forward to give her the datapads.

"Are you in any pain?" he asked gently, noticing her wince a little as she leaned forward.

"Only when I attempt to move," she responded with an eyeroll, her voice tight.

"I can administer a local anesthetic if you'd like."

Tori shook her head. "No, that isn't necessary. I've had enough anesthetics for a while."

Quinn nodded. "Understood. But please call me if it worsens." He pointed to the comm button he'd hung on her bedside.

Tori merely grunted in response as she powered on her datapad, laying the older one that belonged to Quinn aside. He hesitated, a myriad of things that he wanted to say struggling to burst free. It did not escape Tori's notice.

"Is there something else, Captain?"

His shoulders sank a bit as his rank on her lips reminded him that despite a few fleeting moments of normalcy, the situation had not truly changed.

"No, my apologies. I'll leave you to your rest." He turned and quickly left the medbay.

Tori watched him go, despite herself, and shifted once more before turning her attention to the datapad's screen, opening a message, and beginning to read.

 _Field report: Captain Malavai Quinn, in service of the Emperor's Wrath_.

_Locations of note: Nar Shaddaa, Balmorra…_

* * *

Sometime later, Tori set the datapad aside and slowly rolled her head from side to side, trying to loosen the knots in her neck that had gathered while she hunched intently over her reading. She gathered her thoughts for a minute, then before she could change her mind, reached over and firmly pressed the comm button. A few moments later, Quinn entered, slightly out of breath.

"I am here, my lord."

She said nothing at first, but appraised him for a beat longer than was comfortable for either of them. To his credit, he met her gaze steadily. Finally, she spoke.

"Your report was rather… interesting, Captain."

Quinn's head tilted slightly. "If I may ask, how so?"

"I had been under the impression you were essentially wandering aimlessly in an effort not to garner unwanted attention, not committing terrorist attacks on Imperial property," Tori replied, her tone inscrutable.

Once again, to his credit, he did not falter.

"I did what was necessary."

"The lieutenant?"

"Regrettable, but, as I said - necessary."

She leaned forward a bit.

"Blowing up your former office?" He swore he saw a flash in her eyes as they met his that, for the first time since the transponder station, belied mirth rather than anger. "Was that truly entirely necessary, Captain?"

"Covering my tracks, my lord. The signature left by the explosive agent would have been traced to Balmorran resistance cells."

"Rather inelegant for you, Quinn, but no doubt effective." Her eyes flashed again as she leaned back. "I won't ask you to reveal your supplier. Not now. But tell me this - how in the stars were you able to initiate contact with the Hand?"

 _She'd figured him out._  He hadn't explicitly stated the purpose of his mission on Balmorra in his report, but he couldn't deny that a part of him had hoped this would happen - and had hoped for the favorable reaction he was just beginning to allow himself to believe he was receiving.

"Well?" Her voice interrupted his musing.

He cleared his throat. "My lord, I carefully monitored and traced all incoming comm traffic to this ship. Given the information I had collected and a helping hand from a well-placed associate, I was not able to contact them directly, but had located what I believed to be a virtual dead drop of sorts that would filter up to them via secure means. Fortunately, it seems I was correct."

"Fortunate, indeed," she echoed, her tone returning to its prior neutrality. Silence settled over them for a few moments before she addressed him once more.

"Thank you for the report, Quinn. It was… enlightening. As for more immediate matters, please see to it that I am called when there is news from Pierce."

It took every bit of his concentration to keep his face from falling at how she phrased her last statement.

"Of course. In the meantime, again, please do not hesitate to call me should you need anything."

He lowered his shoulders in a stiff half-bow, hearkening to gestures he made early in their acquaintance, then quietly left the room.

She watched him go, her brow furrowed as she toyed with the second, heavier datapad still lying next to her on the narrow medbay cot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're still out there and reading - I'm so sorry for the lag in posting. Between work, family stuff, and then getting smacked by two bouts of illness in the last four weeks, it's been tough going on the writing front. What I'm posting tonight isn't truly a full chapter, and my apologies for that as well - but I felt like I really needed to get something up before I totally lost momentum, especially with the holidays now upon us. I have more content written that will later become pieces of the rest of this chapter and the next one, and I'll get that up just as soon as I can manage it. So, if you like, think of this as a short interlude. Thanks for reading and for bearing with me!


	21. Chapter 21

Tori wasn't sure how long she'd been sitting and staring down at the datapad in her hands when a tap at the medbay door snapped her to attention. Engaging her senses, she realized it was Vowrawn.

"Come in, my lord," she called, hastily stuffing the datapad back under a pillow. The Pureblood swept in, his face uncharacteristically somber. Tori stiffened, fearing he brought bad news, and the Darth immediately raised a hand in a placating gesture.

"No news is good news, my dear," he said mildly, pulling a chair alongside her cot. "Your lieutenant likely won't report back for a few hours yet. I simply came to see how you were faring."

Tori sighed and gestured at her leg. "Obviously, I've been better."

Vowrawn chuckled. "Yes, I believe you have. However, I refer to more than your injury, as I'm certain Captain Quinn has done an excellent job in repairing the damage." He fell silent, studying Tori's face for several long moments, but not pressing her to speak. Eventually, her shoulders slumped and her head bowed.

"This is my fault, isn't it?" she said quietly, almost to herself.

Vowrawn remained silent, and she quickly jerked her chin back up to look him in the eye defiantly.

"Well?" she challenged him, and to her annoyance, he let out another soft chuckle.

"Do you believe that those of us on the Dark Council are where we are because we never failed or made mistakes?" he asked her, drawing an exasperated huff by way of response. "Hardly the case, child; our egos are just so large that we refuse to publicly acknowledge those incidents. And for what it's worth, I certainly didn't come here to lay blame or chastise you. I think you'll find that perhaps events have unfolded the way they have-"

"If you say 'for a reason,' I cannot be held responsible for my reaction," Tori snapped, at which Vowrawn threw his head back in a full-throated guffaw.

"Oh, my dear, you are such a joy," he gasped, wiping his eyes. "In all seriousness, I  _was_ going to say 'for the best,'" Vowrawn finished, making a big show of pulling his lightsaber hilt from his robes and tossing it to land next to Tori on the cot, smirking all the while. She sighed in exasperation again, but he saw laughter in her eyes for a brief moment.

"Be that as it may," she grumbled with a look of disgust, "it does not change the fact that I am here and others are doing my work for me - to say nothing of what setbacks I may face in the endgame with….  _this_." She gestured at her leg, her sneer deepening.

Vowrawn nodded, all mirth gone from his face for the moment. "Indeed, that is cause for some concern. However, you've faced a great number of setbacks and risen to the top already as it is. I've no doubt that it is your destiny to continue to do just that." He rose, calling his lightsaber back to his hand and tucking it back into his robes before turning to leave the medbay. Just before he reached the door, he stopped and turned to face Tori once again.

"And, you know, you have a ship full of resources at your disposal. Just because you prefer to handle things personally doesn't mean you should not take advantage of what those around you can offer, be it large or small. A Sith, after all, does not hesitate to take and use anything available as a means to an end. You simply have the unique good fortune of those around you - every last one of them - being prepared to give willingly and without ulterior motive." He winked at her, then quietly let himself out of the medbay.

For the second time in just a few hours, Tori found herself staring at the medbay door, brow furrowed in thought.

* * *

"You asked for me, Master?" Jaesa's voice drifted into the medbay.

"Yes, Jaesa; please come in."

Jaesa silently glided to Tori's bedside. Tension rolled off her in waves; Tori involuntarily frowned as her senses opened to her apprentice. Jaesa noticed the shift in Tori's demeanour and winced almost apologetically, but didn't seem able to rein in her feelings.

_Hmm, that may prove useful,_  Tori mused, then offered the girl a tight smile.

"Sit down; try to relax a bit," she said, gesturing toward the chair Vowrawn had occupied earlier. Jaesa did as she was bidden, still obviously uneasy. "I sense that you're troubled, but I'm afraid we'll have to wait a bit longer to begin sorting everything out. In the meantime, please try to lay aside what will not aid you in the short term and focus, if you can," Tori continued, her tone firm but still sympathetic. Jaesa inhaled sharply, but nodded.

"What can I do, Master?" she asked, almost pleading.

"Can you tell me a little about how you helped heal Vette? I'm curious."

Jaesa let out a shaky breath before speaking. "Well, it was pretty rudimentary. I'd been taught a very little about Force healing in my studies with the Jedi, and I was never very good at it then, either. Basically all I was able to do was project a little Force energy to help her body along, nothing more."

Tori nodded. "And this Force energy, were you drawing on the dark or the light?"

Jaesa frowned a bit. "I hadn't really thought about it. I suppose likely the light, since that's how I was originally taught."

"And - if I can ask, why did you do it? You and Vette have never exactly been close," Tori said wryly.

Jaesa ducked her chin. "I don't know… I was frustrated and angry that I had been basically left to sit on my thumbs, and following my anger wasn't providing enough outlet. I suppose I thought I'd try to help, to see if that would ease my frustration."

"And did it?"

"Briefly. But -" Jaesa looked at her master with both defiance and remorse in her eyes "- it wasn't enough, either."

Tori merely nodded again, her face impassive. "Well," she began with a small smirk, "I don't think you'll ever be a Force healer, so I wouldn't let that trouble you. Your energy is far too physical in nature for you to be very efficient or productive in that discipline. However, I do wonder if you could use what you can do to help me." She gestured at her injured leg, and Jaesa's eyes went wide. Before the girl could protest, Tori resumed. "My thought, though, is that perhaps you should try to draw upon dark energy rather than light. What do you think?"

Jaesa sat silent for a moment, clearly taken aback. "I - I don't know the first thing about dark healing, Master; I'm afraid-"

"Stop. Right there," Tori commanded. "That's the first step. Master that fear. Replace it with intent. Focus on picturing yourself completing your task, then harness the energy that fear gives you and direct it to suit your purpose. Do it now, without hesitation."

Jaesa met her gaze for a fleeting moment, then closed her eyes. As she meditated, Tori felt the girl's energy shift.

"Yes, just like that," Tori encouraged her. "When you have control, turn your focus outward."

After a moment more, Jaesa extended her hands out to gently rest on Tori's injured leg, then a crackle of diffused lightning enveloped her hands and Tori's thigh. Jaesa drew a deep breath, then a second, fainter crackle issued forth before Jaesa sank back into her chair.

Tori flexed her injured thigh experimentally, and was pleased to note the pain was minimal. She drew her knee to her chest, and while the discomfort was still minimal, she could tell that her strength and control was far from optimal. Regardless, it was a vast improvement, and she looked over at Jaesa, who was watching her with wide eyes. Tori gave her a smile.

"See? That's helped already, and the energy you gave me should continue to help my body heal faster."

Jaesa returned her smile with obvious relief.

"Jaesa," Tori said quietly, "an important part of becoming strong in your new path is acting with purpose in whatever you choose. The beauty of being Sith is the freedom to choose whatever you wish your purpose to be, whether your actions are large or small. Start small, as we did here. Discipline does not only belong to the Jedi; their teachings merely take it a different direction - one you know I believe to be limiting and ultimately self-destructive. Redirect the discipline you learned, use it to your advantage, but don't abandon it."

"Thank you, Master," Jaesa murmured.

"Thank  _you_ , Jaesa," Tori returned, gesturing once again to her leg. "Stay alert; I suspect I may have need of you again soon."

"I will."

As Tori opened her mouth to speak again, Quinn's voice traveled through the medbay door.

"Forgive the intrusion, my lord, but Pierce has made contact via holo. Shall I route him in there for you?" Tori suppressed a smirk as she could almost tangibly sense Quinn clenching his jaw.

"No, that won't be necessary. I'll be right out."

Tori gestured to Jaesa, and before Quinn could override the security key on the door, she was on her feet and making her way to the door herself, with only a little assistance from her apprentice. She bit back a snort as the door flew open to reveal a red-faced Quinn spluttering angrily on the other side, barricading the corridor with his body.

"What do you think you are doing?" he snapped.

"Attending a briefing," she fired back. "Now step aside or I shall move you myself."

His eyes darkened and Tori shoved aside the spike of heat that shot through her abdomen. He drew himself taller and his voice dropped into a register she hadn't heard since weeks before the transponder station, when he dealt with Moff Broysc for the final time.

"If you will not take the proper measures to allow yourself to heal, I will see to it that you do whether you are willing or not," he hissed. "I am still the ship's medical officer and your well-being is my responsibility."

Tori's nostrils flared. "We will continue this conversation later. Right now I am ordering you to step aside,  _Captain_."

Quinn hesitated a moment, and just as Tori began to bring up an arm to force him to move, he pivoted sharply on his heel and stalked out to the main holoterminal. With Jaesa still at her elbow, Tori followed. Vowrawn, Vette, Melia and Revel were all already gathered, with Broonmark lurking to the side.

"We have audio only, Wrath," Vowrawn gestured to the holo.

"Very well. What do you have for us, Lieutenant?" Tori directed her voice to the comm.

"Extraction a success," Pierce's voice was distorted by static, "Agent en route to safehouse, will contact you directly once he's able. Can't guarantee secure transmission here. Full debrief when I return. Bloody mess out here."

"Understood. Keep your head down."

"Will do. Pierce out."

Tori let herself sink into a lounge sofa as Pierce cut the transmission.

"So far, so good," Vowrawn said mildly.

Tori looked around the room, reading the expressions on the faces she saw. Vette offered her a smile, but her eyes were fearful. Melia was gripping the back of a chair tightly, but her facial expression was one of… relief?  _Interesting,_ Tori noted. Jaesa's face was neutral, but she was clearly still feeling the effects of her efforts in the medbay. Vowrawn wore a bemused expression, but she spied slight lines of worry across his forehead. Nikos looked purely relieved to see Tori upright, and Quinn still projected anger and frustration, with underlying determination. Tori took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"So far, so good," she agreed quietly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this is the rest of chapter 20, technically. Once I get the next chapter or two up, I'll go back and unite the two pieces into one full chapter, but for now, I'm leaving it as is to prevent confusion (hopefully). Again, thanks for sticking with me and for reading.


	22. Chapter 22

 

After the end of Pierce's transmission, Tori had chosen to sit out in the lounge for a while among her crew and guests, blithely ignoring the glowers Quinn periodically leveled at her from across the room. A hum of conversation slowly began to build: Andronikos joined his daughter on the sofa, not-so-subtly attempting to assess her spirits and physical well-being; Melia and Vette chatted softly but animatedly to one another in a corner; and Darth Vowrawn had once again engaged Jaesa in a round of storytelling over drinks - and as usual, Vowrawn was doing the lion's share of both the drinking and the talking.

Despite her obvious relief at being free of the medbay's confines for a time, it soon became clear that Tori's energy was waning. Her leg cramped dully when she held it in a bent position for too long, and she tried to be nonchalant in her frequent shifting and stretching, but she knew she wasn't fooling her father for a moment, to say nothing of Quinn. She'd intended to wait in the lounge until Pierce returned, but she was becoming more uncomfortable by the moment. Finally, she looked at Nikos with a wan smile.

"I think I'll return to the medbay for the moment. Feel free to continue to use the bridge as your own personal space, unless you'd prefer to return to your own ship. Can't say that I'd blame you," Tori told him with a vague gesture at the crowded common area of the Fury.

"I think I can tough it out a while longer," Nikos said as he helped Tori to her feet. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Malavai bolt out of his chair, then caught Vowrawn's gaze. The Darth shot him a wink; Nikos felt torn between returning the wink or drawing his blasters, and he wasn't entirely sure which way he'd aim them first. He had no more time to contemplate the matter, however, as Quinn had made it to them in a few long strides.

"Allow me to escort you back to the medbay, my lord." His tone was clipped, authoritative.

The room fell silent as Quinn held out an elbow to Tori and the two stared one another down for a fleeting moment, both with steely expressions. Slowly, she brought up a hand and wrapped it around his proffered arm, gripping tightly enough that her knuckles turned white. Quinn did not flinch.

"I will rest for a while, but please see to it that I am notified the moment Pierce is back aboard," Tori addressed the room at large.

"No problem," Vette piped up. "Too-Vee made me sleep for so long that I'll be up and around for days at this rate, so I can keep an eye and an ear out. Want me to bring you some tea or something in a bit?"

"That'd be lovely, Vette; thank you." Tori smiled at her friend, knowing that she wanted a chance to chat without an audience.

Quinn cleared his throat, and Tori tossed him a sideways glare before she allowed him to begin walking with her from the room, still gripping his arm painfully hard.

Five sets of eyes watched them go. Once they heard the medbay door seal, Vette's voice drifted softly through the room once more.

"Anyone else feel like they just watched Mommy and Daddy leave the dinner table to have a 'discussion' away from us kids?"

Vowrawn, Melia, and Jaesa all snorted; Andronikos merely dropped his head into his hands.

* * *

As soon as they were sealed into the medbay, Tori released Quinn's arm, more than a little forcefully, and spun to face him.

"You will not address me that way in front of my crew  _ever_  again if you wish to remain both whole and on board this ship, am I understood?" she growled, leveling him with a look that had in the past actually caused lesser men to require a change of pants.

For the briefest moment, Quinn's instinct was to submit, as she clearly expected him to - as he would to any other Sith he had offended, out of protocol if nothing else. But before he could follow the impulse, he heard Vowrawn's voice in his head.

_Fight. Love her as she loves, not as you think she should be loved._

"And just how is that, my lord? Like someone who is more concerned for your well-being than you are? Like someone with a personal interest in your recovery? You  _will_  forgive me if I don't wish to ever pull you from a body bag again."  _Oh, kriffing hell._

"Excuse me?" Tori's voice dropped so low that he barely heard her speak.

Throwing caution - and arguably good sense - to the wind, Malavai took advantage of her momentary discombobulation to nudge her backwards onto the bunk she'd been using, so that if nothing else, she'd get off her injured leg. She sat down hard, staring at him in fury and disbelief.

"When you were brought back to the ship injured, we were forced to transport you under sedation inside a body bag so as to avoid drawing attention to your plight. The moment I unzipped the bag and saw you inside, though I knew what was happening, still shook me to my very core."

He had leaned down over her as he spoke, his eyes blazing as he braced himself with one hand on the edge of the cot. She stared back at him, transfixed even as she leaned back away from him. When he paused to draw breath, she shook her head rapidly, squeezing her eyes shut, then placed both hands in the center of his chest and pushed him backwards.

"Right. This from the man who orchestrated a pathetic plot to end my life," she snarled.

"And from the man who more recently - and far more successfully -  _saved_  it!" he roared, the last bit of his composure snapping. He spun away from her, raking his hands through his hair. "Stop and  _think_  for a damn moment! Could I not have just let you slip away on the table, if that were what I truly wanted? Miscalculated the sedative so that you didn't survive the trip back?"

She laughed bitterly. "Oh, I have long since stopped trying to understand your motives, Captain. You made it clear you were not the man I thought -"

"Bantha shit," he rasped.

She was on her feet again before she realized it.

"You have two seconds to explain that remark," she spat, her voice trembling with anger.

"If you truly, completely believed that, you and I both know I would not be standing here now."

She rushed at him, but her leg buckled and instead of striking as she intended, she crashed into him heavily. He caught her by the upper arms, absorbing the impact of her weight. She struggled against him, still off-balance, and as she began to throw her upper body back and away from him, he dove forward, capturing her lips in a forceful kiss. Heat seared through her; she instinctively returned the kiss in the first moment before truly becoming aware of what was happening. Quickly, she stomped on his instep and bit his lower lip hard as she wrenched herself away, finally regaining her footing. They stared at one another, their breathing labored.

"And if you have honestly stopped trying to understand my motives, then you are not the woman I thought you were," he whispered hoarsely, breaking the silence. He drew a hand across his lip, wiping away the blood she'd drawn, then turned his back on her and left the medbay.

He stumbled into the corridor, his knees threatening to give way and his hands shaking. He heard a dry chuckle behind him and whipped around. Nikos leaned against a wall watching him, the ruckus from the medbay having drawn his attention. Quinn crumpled against the opposite wall, fighting to catch his breath. Andronikos stared at him for several moments before Malavai lost patience once again.

" _What?_ " he snapped.

Nikos shook his head and gave him a wry grin, but as Malavai met his eyes, he noticed Nikos's expression was wistful.

"Not easy loving a Sith, huh?" He clapped Quinn on the shoulder, then turned and walked toward the bridge.

* * *

The medbay was really a pretty peaceful place, considering the gravity of the situations it sometimes saw, Tori realized as she lay flat on her back, desperately trying to reign in her thoughts. The kolto tank, the main holoterminal and its secondary screens, and the bedside instruments all projected soft greens and blues; the consistent, muted humming of the tank was really somewhat soothing if one didn't think too hard about what it entailed; the overhead lights were limited, conserving energy instead for the ultrabright lamps that were used during surgeries, or when the medic - no one in particular, she told herself - needed a closer look at a specific area.

Despite that, she felt anything but peaceful. The sheer nerve he had - and she knew she hadn't the time to indulge herself in unraveling the intricacies of their exchange, but yet the pull was all but irresistible.  _Peace is a lie, indeed_. She didn't require peace. She did, however, require control, and she felt perilously on the edge of a total loss there.

Huffing in irritation, she flipped to her side and began stretching out her injured leg. Regaining control over her body was the first step; that much she knew. Or at least she hoped. She was on her third cycle of stretches when she heard the security override forcing the door on the medbay, and she sat up quickly, already tensing for another round. She relaxed fractionally when she saw Vette poke her head in the door.

"Hey," the Twi'lek said softly. "I can still bring you that tea if you want, but I thought you might just like to see a friendly face first."

Tori's throat suddenly felt tight, and she wordlessly waved Vette in. The girl tiptoed in, sealing the door behind her, and walked over to take an awkward seat at the edge of Tori's bed.

"So, um, I guess this is where I thank you for making like a human shield and taking all the shrapnel to save me," Vette began, her voice breaking.

The residual tension from her earlier bout with Quinn combined with Vette's open display of raw sentiment proved too much, and Tori struggled to disguise her sniffle as a cough as she pulled Vette in for a gruff hug.

"Would do it a thousand times over, and you know that," she choked, laying her hand over the base of Vette's  _lekku_ and dropping a kiss on her smooth, hairless head.

Vette sensed her friend's discomfort and pulled away with a playful shove, which Tori rewarded with a grateful smile.

"So, what's up, my lord?" Vette chirped with a shaky smile.

Tori snorted a laugh. "Ah, my slave, if you only knew," she jested, returning Vette's shove.

"Seriously, though, how are you? I mean, I'm sure Captain  _Sleemo_ has run all his tests and all…"

Tori cut her off. "I'm… all right. I'm not in a lot of pain, but...it's weak. Jaesa helped with a shot of Force energy, and I'm sure the captain did his best to repair the damage…" Tori trailed off, unable to mask the bitterness in her voice.

Vette nodded. "Um, so, about  _The Captain…"_ she affected a stuffy tone for the honorific "... do we trust him, or what's going on?"

Tori heaved a sigh. "We trust him insofar as his abilities as a medic and a surgeon."

"Okay."

The two women sat in silence for several minutes until a scuffling at the main airlock grabbed their attention.

"Pierce," Tori breathed.

"Let's hope," said Vette. "Want me to bring everyone in here?"

"No," Tori replied, pulling herself to her feet awkwardly. "Let's head out."

Vette helped Tori center herself, then together they left the medbay and strode out to the common area, where Lieutenant Pierce stood surrounded by Tori's crew and guests, one arm dangling awkwardly.

"M'lord," he greeted Tori, pulling himself to attention as best as he could.

"At ease," she responded immediately, limping forward to help him settle onto a sofa. Their eyes met, and each gave the other a tight smile.

Pierce immediately began to detail his report, giving details of his team's actions to free Shadow and only deviating from his steady, deadpan delivery when speaking of one teammate's death at the hands of Republic forces.

"Should have accounted for reinforcements," Pierce spat, his balled fists striking his thighs.

"As you were, Lieutenant," Tori barked sharply, knowing the last thing Pierce needed at that moment was sympathy.

"Yes, m'lord," Pierce coughed harshly and cleared his throat, then continued.

"Shadow was able to escape to predesignated safe coordinates. Was able to extract the following report." Pierce flipped on his datapad and began to read.

"Jedi spy rendezvousing with supplementary forces at given coordinates. Purpose of rendezvous reportedly to coordinate push into Imperial territory that would guarantee overwhelming defeat of strike team. Spy to slip away in chaos of battle. Identity of spy yet unknown."

"You have coordinates for the rendezvous, then," Tori broke in.

"Yes, m'lord. Shadow was repeatedly apologetic for not having specific information as to the spy's identity."

"That's no concern," Tori said, glancing at Jaesa. "As long as we know where to look."

Pierce met her eyes. "We do."

She returned his stare. "Well done, Lieutenant."

The lounge was silent for several beats while Tori turned over Pierce's report in her head. Finally, she gathered herself and spoke.

"Pierce, you are commended for a job extremely well-done. Please accept my personal thanks and appreciation for your sacrifice, and once it is appropriate and safe, I will pass the same along to each of your comrades, as well as to your fallen comrade's family."

Pierce bowed his head. "Thank you, m'lord," he mumbled.

Tori steeled herself, then addressed the room at large. "Now that we have a direction, I will begin pursuit of the Jedi spy. Jaesa will accompany me for this mission." She looked over to meet her apprentice's eyes. "Her prowess in combat, along with her unique abilities in reading peoples' true sympathies, will doubtless prove invaluable. We will depart at planet sunrise. Jaesa and Captain Quinn, you will meet me in the medbay after this meeting to discuss medical issues as they pertain to this mission."

She paused, and looked around to see everyone's eyes on her, without exception.

"Dismissed, then. Jaesa and Quinn, please wait for me in the medbay."

Tori watched as the crowd in the common area dispersed, then approached Pierce, who remained crumpled on one of the lounge sofas. She gingerly sat next to him, then extended a hand to rest on one of his broad shoulders.

"Pierce. It's all right," she whispered.

He looked at her with fury buried deeply in his eyes. "My fault," he rasped.

She shook her head vehemently. "No. Mine, if anything."

He didn't respond, but leaned into her. After a moment, Melia tentatively crept back into the common area

"With your permission, Tori, I'll look at Lieutenant Pierce's shoulder."

Tori straightened and rose to her feet, giving Melia a tight smile and Pierce's neck a quick squeeze.

"Please do. Do not hesitate to come into the medbay should you need supplies."

She started to walk away, but suddenly turned.

"Thank you, Melia, for looking after me and my crew. I truly appreciate all you have done."

Melia offered the Sith a shy smile. "It's my pleasure, Tori."

* * *

Tori strode into the medbay to find Jaesa and Quinn waiting as per her instructions, each of them sitting stiffly against opposite walls. She paused for a moment to gather her strength - and to lay aside her residual emotions tied to her earlier interaction with Malavai - then stepped in so that she was positioned precisely between the two of them.

"I have no doubt that you both have questions," she began, "but I wanted to start by making an effort to bring us all to the same page." She paused again, feeling both of their stares upon her.

"Captain Quinn, you should know that I have utmost confidence in your abilities as a medic and a surgeon," Tori bit out, turning to face Malavai. "I have no doubt that I would not be able to stand her addressing you in this fashion if not for your exceptional skill." She dipped her shoulders in a brief gesture of respect to Quinn, who swallowed hard before returning the gesture.

"However," Tori continued, "you should also know that I have, and intend to in the future, worked with Jaesa to apply some limited Force-healing techniques."

Quinn, to his credit, merely nodded in response.

"I will agree to submit to further examinations and treatments at your hands," Tori continued, "without complaint as long as they do not directly interfere with my mission objectives. I have sought additional healing with Jaesa's assistance in order to shorten to the greatest possible extent my… inadequacy in potential combat situations."

Malavai squared his shoulders. "My lord, if I may?"

Tori made an impassive gesture.

"I have no inherent problems with supplementing traditional medical treatments with Force-based healing. However, all I ask is the chance to scan your leg prior to your departure, so that I may have an opportunity to catch any potential serious issues before you find yourself in combat situations."

Jaesa's head swivelled comically between Tori and Quinn as they regarded one another.

"All right, Captain; we'll do it your way for the time being."

After a moment, Quinn bowed stiffly to the two women and left the medbay with a promise to return first thing in the morning.

As soon as the door sealed behind him, Tori met Jaesa's eyes.

"Think you have one more burst in you before we both get some sleep?"

The girl smiled tightly at her, then wordlessly moved into the required positions on Tori's bunk. Together, they meditated for several minutes, then Tori took her apprentice's hands.

"Here. As this is our last chance, I will try to lend you what strength I can."

The two women sat silently for a long while, heads bowed silently over their joined hands. Finally, they drew a deep breath in unison, then Jaesa placed their joined hands over Tori's injured thigh, letting three quick, but intense flurries of lightning flow over their hands and her master's leg before sitting back in exhaustion. After a few moments, Tori laid her hand over Jaesa's.

"Go. Get some rest, and be ready to go at sunrise. Tell Quinn he may come in; I'm sure he's waiting at the door."

Jaesa nodded, made a shallow bow to her master, then stole away to her quarters to take what rest was available to her.

As she suspected, Quinn slipped in as the medbay door slid shut behind Jaesa.

"Do what you will, Captain. Just don't interrupt my sleep."

Tori rolled onto her side, smirking with satisfaction as the overhead lights dimmed.

* * *

Tori watched with a mixture of pride and guilt as her apprentice neatly dispatched another pair of Republic forces.  _I've forced her to sit idle too long,_ Tori mused as she crouched behind Jaesa in a defensive stance, watching their rear. She'd let the girl take the offensive position, figuring it was to their advantage for her to save her own strength given the weakened condition of her leg. Whether it was merely relief at being away from the Fury or sheer bloodlust, the look of exhilaration on Jaesa's face was unmistakable. Her facility in combat improved with each kill even as they made their way through the entrance of the Republic bunker, and Tori noticed new movements working their way into Jaesa's attacks.  _Interesting. She certainly did not learn all of that from me._ Making a mental note to ask her apprentice a few questions once they returned to the ship, Tori quietly tapped her shoulder and made a motion to signal a stop.

"What do you sense?" she murmured in Jaesa's ear.

Jaesa went perfectly still, her eyes closing briefly. "Force users, several of them. Strong. We're close."

Tori engaged her own senses, reaching out carefully. "Agreed. Proceed, but be on your guard."

Together, they pressed on. After winding down a level and rounding a series of corners, they came to a large room where a lone woman worked at a holoterminal. Before they could move in, however, they were suddenly flanked by two Jedi with lightsabers drawn and a handful of Republic commandos.

"Your invasion ends here, Sith," one of the Jedi said, his saber pointed at Tori. "You're severely outnumbered."

Tori drew herself taller. "Not by as much as you imagine," she replied coolly. "One of you is a Sith spy whose mission is to lead you into a death trap. We are merely here to eliminate the spy."

"Preposterous," snorted another Jedi, a Miraluka. "Clearly she's over her head and is bluffing."

"Sith are master manipulators," chimed in the woman, though she made no move for a weapon. Tori's brow arched almost imperceptibly.

"Give us one good reason why we should believe you," commanded the Jedi who had first spoken.

"All right, here's one," Tori said. "My compatriot here was once Nomen Karr's padawan. Perhaps you're familiar with her special abilities."

_Focus, Jaesa_ , she silently willed her apprentice.  _Stay strong._

"We know of Jaesa Willsaam," the Jedi replied with a somewhat sorrowful glance at Jaesa, who stiffened at his tone.

"I assure you her gifts are quite real," Tori declared. "Jaesa, if you please."

"Yes, Master." Jaesa bowed her head and took several deep breaths.

The Miraluka sighed. "Are we really going to sit here while this Sith mocks us?"

Jaesa's head snapped up.

"There." Her voice echoed in the large room as she pointed at the woman next to the holoterminal. "This one is filled with deceit, and now rage blossoms." The woman said nothing but met Jaesa's gaze.

A slow smile spread across Tori's face upon feeling the collective wave of shock from the group of Jedi.

"Master Injaye?" the first Jedi whispered in disbelief.

The Miraluka slowly let his saber drop to his side. "I sense truth," he murmured. "I feel a shift in her. Have we been blind to it all this time?"

Injaye advanced on Tori. "Stupid fool. I would have led these Jedi to their deaths and struck a great victory for the Empire," she hissed, pointing a finger in Tori's face.

Tori gritted her teeth, resisting the urge to smack the woman's hand away.

"Listen, Sith, you've exposed your spy. Be smart and walk away," the first Jedi spoke with a placating hand raised.

Tori turned to face him, her back now to Injaye. "I will. I must see to one thing first."

Almost before she finished speaking, she thrust her blade backwards between her arm and her body, slashing cleanly through the torso of Baras's spy. Jaesa raised her own polesaber, prepared to defend if necessary, but the Jedi merely both stared in shock.

"You barbarian," growled the Miraluka, raising his lightsaber once more.

"Steady, Master Joce," said the other Jedi. "Whatever her motive, she has saved us from a suicide mission."

"Glad I could help." Tori sheathed her saber; Jaesa followed suit, but not without tossing her master a puzzled glance. "Now, unless you are foolish enough to try to stop us, we will leave in peace."

The Jedi frowned, but stepped aside and gestured to his men to stand down. Without another word, Tori swept from the room, Jaesa at her heels. They walked quickly until they were free of the bunker, then Tori ducked behind a pillar, leaning heavily against it.

"Master?"

Tori gave Jaesa a grim look. "Just need a moment."

"I - I don't think I have the energy to heal you, but…"

"It's all right. I just need a bit of rest. You did very well in there, Jaesa. I am proud of you."

Jaesa couldn't stop the grin that broke across her face at Tori's words. "I felt so exhilarated.  _Powerful_. And I barely had to reach out to sense her." Her smile faltered a bit. "Did you already know it was the woman?"

Tori shook her head. "I had a suspicion based on her behavior, but I couldn't clearly sense her until you exposed her. I also thought the Miraluka was a possibility, but evidently he's just a bit of a rebel," she smirked. "No, Jaesa, I'm very certain that would not have gone nearly so smoothly had you not been there, for either the combat or the confrontation of the spy. I owe this success to you." Tori straightened, wincing a bit. "Let's get back to the ship."

They headed on at a slower pace, making their way toward where they'd left their speeder. As they walked, Tori sensed that something was still preying on Jaesa's thoughts.

"What's on your mind, Jaesa?"

"I'm sorry - I just can't help wondering why you let those Jedi live, or didn't take the opportunity to push them to continue the mission. I don't believe it would have been difficult to persuade them that with the spy eliminated, they were safe to carry on."

Tori sighed. "Be that as it may, had they walked into the trap, it would have been Baras's trap. I'd no more hand him that victory than surrender myself to the Jedi. As for engaging them in battle, it would have been an unnecessary risk. They pose us no direct threat, and their elimination would have only been a small blow to the Republic. Better to leave them off-balance and scratching their heads than making a show of their defeat."

"I suppose that makes sense," Jaesa said with a slow nod, but Tori could tell that her apprentice didn't truly grasp her reasoning. Before she could say anything further, however, a wave of uneasiness crashed through her, strong enough to make her struggle to catch her breath. Just as she turned to Jaesa to see a look of terror cross her face, her comm chirped. With a sinking feeling in her stomach, she pulled it from her hip and pressed the button to accept the call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, I really fought this chapter. I felt like it both began and ended awkwardly, seemingly no matter what I did. So, with that said... I do hope you enjoy, but I truly do welcome any suggestions or constructive criticism as you see fit. But, whether you have something to say or not, thank you for reading!


	23. Chapter 23

"Quinn? Pierce? Report!"

_Tori's voice was drowned out by volleys of blaster fire and the frantic hum of slashing lightsaber blades. A booted foot sent the comm unit skidding facedown underneath a lounge seat, where it lay blinking helplessly._

" _GO! NOW!" Quinn's shout rose above the clamor._

Tori slammed her eyes shut against the onslaught of images, but to no avail:

_Vette, tight-lipped and deathly pale, firing her blasters for all she was worth even as she backed into a wall._

_A howl of pain and rage from Broonmark._

_Vowrawn's face, illuminated by Qet's blade at his side, twisted in concentration as he seized and flung objects with the Force._

_Pierce, limping and cradling his already-injured arm, but nonetheless shielding Melia as they hurried along the corridor._

_Andronikos, rapidly hurling thermal grenades between shots with peals of mad laughter._

_Quinn, all focus and determination as he - No. He wouldn't._

She wrenched herself back to the moment and met Jaesa's eyes. Her apprentice stared back at her, white-faced.

"Master?"

"Ambush," Tori whispered.

Together, they stared at the comm, which transmitted one last roar of sound before falling silent.

"Did you… could you see?" Jaesa trailed off.

Tori shook her head. "Only snippets. Feelings. Not sure how real."

"What do we do now?"

"I guess we wait until we either hear something or sense something." Tori gestured in the direction of where their speeder was hidden, just a few hundred yards away. Side by side, they finished the short walk, then silently took up meditative poses next to the parked speeder.

* * *

Baras reclined in his chair, watching the scene unfolding on his desktop holoterminal with a self-congratulatory smirk splitting his doughy face. The images were grainy, but clear enough that he could see the Talz's chest split open under the slash of a lightsaber, the look of grim panic on the Twi'lek's face - and he felt the ripples of their fear as plainly if he were the one towering above them. He looked on, marveling at the speed at which blaster bolts and debris came at his field of vision and then shot away, at the facility with which lightsaber strikes were parried and deflected. A sardonic chuckle escaped him as he noticed the lieutenant staggering away, hiding some waif of a woman behind him.  _Must have interrupted a conquest,_ he thought with a smirk.  _How inconvenient for the lad._

"Yes, let that one go," he muttered. "Let him tell the little wretch how you not only destroyed that insipid Vowrawn, but her beloved crew of fools as well."

He leaned forward in his seat as battle grew more frantic. One eyebrow rose a bit on watching Andronikos; the intensity of the man's rage caught him by surprise - and he sensed he wasn't the only one taken aback. Steepling his fingers, he leaned in further as the pirate somehow managed to close in, apparently oblivious to the obvious battering his body had taken. The field of vision before him narrowed, focusing more intently on Andronikos as the staccato of blaster bolts became more rapid.

A familiar presence brought him up short and his lip curled into an involuntary snarl.

_Quinn. That sniveling little sycophant._

The cold fury radiating from the Imperial was enough to send Baras shifting backwards; it seemed as if Quinn were staring directly at him rather than by proxy via cybernetic eyes. The captain rushed forward, seemingly making a beeline for Baras's display, with impressive speed just as an enormous flash of light, originating from somewhere behind Quinn, flooded the terminal. Baras heaved himself to his feet, bringing his palms down to his desk with a loud slap and a roar of frustration. The image shuddered as it began to resolve, then suddenly went black.

"No, no... _NO!_ "

The air in the chamber crackled for a moment before Baras let loose a column of lightning, leaving a smoking heap of rubble in place of his desk.

* * *

"Everyone okay?" Melia's shaky voice drifted through the dark escape pod.

"I think I still have all my parts," Vette answered through chattering teeth.

Pierce and Qet grunted affirmations; Broonmark's growling assured the group that he was at least still breathing despite the distinct odor of singed fur that surrounded him.

"Not to cause alarm," Too-Vee effectively drowned out any additional response, "but I do believe we are over capacity for this escape pod by a few hundred kilos. That is, of course, if I am estimating the Talz's mass proper-"

"Shut  _up_ , Too-Vee!" snapped Vette.

"Explain to me why we didn't just leave him?" Pierce mumbled with a kick to one of the droid's legs.

"He has a built-in transmitter in his restraining bolt, for one thing. Thinking we can use that to our advantage in terms of communication," Vette said.

"My visual memory core will also have record of what just transpired," Too-Vee added.

"Oh, good. I was worried I wouldn't remember that." As she spoke, Vette rolled her eyes and reached over to fiddle with a small hidden panel on the droid's chest. "See, he does have a mute button," she snickered as Too-Vee made a series of low humming sounds in protest, but could utter nothing intelligible.

Despite herself, Melia snorted at Vette's wisecracks. Realizing that Vowrawn had been uncharacteristically silent, she squinted to try to make out his face in the dim lighting. Once her eyes adjusted and she could see him leaning his head back against the wall, she stretched out a tentative hand to brush his arm. He startled, then gave her a weak smile.

"Are you okay, my lord?" she asked.

"Quite all right, my dear," he replied, but his usual airy tone gave way to one that belied the gravity of the situation.

Melia merely nodded, then resumed fidgeting in her seat, trying to keep herself calm.

"Anyone happen to see if the second pod launched?" she finally blurted, only to be met with heavy silence. Vette reached over and squeezed one of her hands.

"Once we're down, I can try to get a bead on them," she offered. Melia returned the hand squeeze and did her best at a grateful smile.

A short while later - though not soon enough for any of them - the pod thumped to the ground, none too gently. Pierce started to haul himself up to scout, but Vowrawn stopped him with a raised palm.

"Just a moment, Lieutenant."

Vowrawn and Qet both closed their eyes for several moments while the others tried to remain quiet and still despite the rising heat in the small pod. Finally, Vowrawn opened his eyes.

"I believe we've had a small stroke of luck. I sense no danger."

Qet gave a terse nod. "Agreed."

The breath Melia had been holding whooshed audibly from her lungs.

"Let's get out of this thing, then," she said as she began working on the door, eager for some task to perform. She had it open in no time, despite the damage that had been done to the control panels during the firefight and their escape, and they tumbled out onto Corellia's surface one by one.

"Nice," Vette commented with an approving grin, squinting as she looked around. As Vowrawn predicted, they'd landed in a fairly deserted area with a decent amount of debris already present to give them some cover. As one, they began shuffling toward one of the larger piles of rubble.

"Triangulating our position." Pierce awkwardly began manipulating a datapad with one hand, cursing when he tripped over a large chunk of durasteel embedded in the ground. Melia thrust out her hands to steady him under an elbow. He started to bark at her in protest, but was brought up short when he noticed she was carefully looking straight ahead rather than watching him flounder about.

"Thanks," he coughed, and she gave a brisk nod as she released his arm.

Vette had scurried ahead, hauling Too-Vee with her, and was already wrist-deep in his circuitry by the time the rest of the group caught up. Her datapad stuck out of the back pocket of her leggings, blinking away. She kept her eyes on her work as she talked.

"Fury's not responding, which may not mean anything. Wouldn't surprise me if the holoterminal got blasted in the mess The navicomp on the second pod isn't responding either, but I wouldn't worry too much. Signal's pretty bad out here and this isn't exactly powerful equipment." She tossed her head back to indicate the datapad. "I'm adjusting Too-Vee so that he can kind of act as a beacon of sorts. He'll transmit an encrypted message to Quinn's comm periodically, and once it's decrypted, they should be able to get a bead on our location. Not a perfect solution, but it's the best I can do. That way it'll work even if we have to go radio silent."

"Quite resourceful, indeed," Vowrawn said. "I believe our next move should be to relocate to what should still be one of my safe houses. It won't buy us much time, but it will hopefully be enough."

"You don't think the assassin is…" Melia couldn't bring herself to finish her sentence.

Vowrawn pressed his lips together in a pitying sort of way, but his gaze was gentle as it met hers. "Slowed, at best, I'm afraid."

Her shoulders slouched in defeat, but she cleared her throat and mustered a head bob of acknowledgement.

"Here, m'lord." Pierce passed over his datapad. "Best guess at our location."

"Very good, Lieutenant." Vowrawn surveyed the display. "Ah, excellent. We won't have too far to go. Again, a small stroke of luck."

"What about Tori?" Vette pressed. "Shouldn't we contact her?"

"I'll send coordinates via an encrypted message," Vowrawn reassured her, tapping at the datapad as he spoke. "No sense wasting time, wouldn't you all agree?" Handing the datapad back to Pierce, he swept off, the rest of them falling in behind like ducklings.

* * *

Kilometers above Corellia's surface, Quinn and Andronikos leaned against opposite walls of the damaged second escape pod, both breathing heavily.

"Think it'll hold together?" Andronikos huffed.

Quinn shrugged. "Nothing for it at this point, I suppose."

Nikos's bark of laughter quickly turned into a hacking cough. Quinn frowned.

"'M fine," Nikos growled, waving off Quinn's attempts to examine him. "Damn smoke. Good thinking torching the holoterminal, though. Whoever - whatever - that was won't be happy when he comes to. Don't need him poking around in there."

"Indeed."

The men both fell silent, each focusing on maintaining nonchalant expressions as the pod pitched, rolled, and shook. Quinn poked at one of the control panels, made a mildly skeptical face, then pulled a sensor from his medkit and fiddled with the buttons.

"Life support is holding steady, fortunately," he murmured, drawing a noncommittal hum from Nikos, who had closed his eyes and seemed to be on his way to falling asleep. Shrugging a bit to himself, Quinn slouched down a bit further on the uncomfortable seat and tried to follow suit.

* * *

Had she not felt like crawling out of her own skin, Tori would have had to laugh at the absurdity of her current situation. Jaesa was playing the role of the calm, collected one; Tori was all but foaming at the mouth with impatience. They still sat near their speeder, but Tori had long since abandoned any attempts at meditation and was instead simply focusing on not lashing out and drawing attention to themselves.

The quiet chime of her datapad sent her leaping to her feet, Jaesa coming to stand at her side as she mashed at the display in her haste.

"Gods damn it," Tori muttered. "Encrypted and Vette nowhere to be found."

"Quite possibly it's her encryption to begin with," Jaesa reminded her master.

Tori growled in frustration but did not tear her eyes away from her work. After a moment, she let loose a gusty sigh of relief.

"There," she breathed, then a grin split her face. "Coordinates," she crowed, turning to Jaesa. "Let's go."

"Is there any chance this is a trap?" Jaesa asked, eyebrows raised.

"Of course there is. Either way, I'll see my crew whole and healthy or annihilate the cause of this whole thing. Regardless - " Tori threw her leg over the speeder and made an impatient gesture for Jaesa to follow suit "-it's better than sitting on our damn thumbs."

Jaesa found she couldn't argue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, a long wait for a short, filler-ish/transitional chapter, I know, but well - life continues to happen, as is its wont. :) The pace will pick up considerably in the next chapter, as we'll really begin making the final push to the end of the in-game story arc (though I have several plot threads to wrap up beyond that, so I'm guessing I'm more at like the 2/3 or 3/4 point in the total plot arc based on my outline). So if you've stuck with me, once again, I thank you for your patience.
> 
> A few friendly reminders/caveats: I'm using the in-game story as a basis, so while you'll see things that you recognize (and thus clearly aren't mine), I am taking liberties with them. Likewise, I'm making semi-educated guesses at some of the technological stuff, so please do speak up if I get something horribly wrong or write it in a way that just doesn't make sense. I'm fact-checking (is that a thing in a fictional universe?) as best as I can and filling in the rest with as much common sense as I can, but I'm sure things will slide through the cracks. Again, thanks for reading, and extra thanks to those of you who have left comments, kudos, or subscribed. It means the world to me. :)


	24. Chapter 24

Tori pushed the speeder to its limits as she navigated to the designated coordinates, which turned out to be a small cluster of Imperial-occupied buildings. Slowing as they drew near, Tori leaned forward and looked around almost as if she were sniffing the air.

"Problem, Master?" Jaesa murmured, unsure whether she should feel amusement or trepidation.

"Well… no, actually," Tori replied, a note of disbelief in her voice. "See what you think. You may be able to pick up on something I'm missing."

Tori brought the speeder to a full halt as Jaesa closed her eyes and began to reach out into the Force, searching for potential signs of enemy presence.

"Nothing suspicious," she said a moment later, eyes still closed. "Though… I do sense some familiar presence."

Tori guided the speeder into the cluster, drawing up beside a building where the speeder would be at least somewhat hidden. As she cut the engine, she lifted her head sharply.

"They're here," she said to Jaesa, who nodded her agreement. Together, they made their way toward a smaller building, hands resting on their lightsaber hilts as a precaution. Tori put out a hand to stop Jaesa once they'd made their way through the entry and reached a larger room.

"Me first," she said softly. "Just in case."

To Tori's surprise, Jaesa stepped aside without complaint, turning to watch their rear.

As she stepped in, Tori immediately let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding: Vowrawn and Vette were huddled around a holoterminal, while Qet and Broonmark each sulked in their respective corners of the room and Melia and Pierce paced in overlapping circles. Pierce, she noticed, was moving far more slowly than usual, but her relief at seeing them all alive and without serious injury overrode her concern for the moment. Grinning, she leaned back and stuck her arm back around the door to beckon Jaesa in, just as Vowrawn snapped around to face her, his own face lit up in a matching grin.

"Ah, you made it!" he greeted them cheerily, which alerted the rest of the group to their presence. Pierce let out an audible sigh of relief and sat heavily on a nearby bench. Melia flashed them a smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes, and continued pacing, while Vette rushed over to squeeze Tori's hand. Tori returned the squeeze, but her gaze flitted around the room.

"Andronikos and Quinn?" she asked, struggling to keep her tone even.

"We're trying to reach them," Vette replied quietly.

Tori's mouth drew into a tight line as she turned back toward Vowrawn.

"Things are heating up, aren't they?" he said lightly, and Tori's patience quickly wore thin.

"I want to know exactly what happened," she barked, and Vowrawn's face grew somber.

"Baras has taken off the sparring gloves," he admitted. "This assassin was the most lethal yet. There was no warning; the attack was sudden and vicious. However, you should be proud, young one - among your crew, there was no panic or confusion. Each and every person aboard that ship stared into the face of death and did not flinch."

Tori drew in a sharp breath. "Leave nothing out," she commanded, at which Too-Vee, who was hooked into the holoterminal that Vowrawn and Vette had been studying, piped up.

"If you wish, Master, my visual sensors should have a full recording."

"Play it."

Silence settled over the room as several minutes of footage displayed projected above the holoterminal. The recording had no sound, which served to make it seem more surreal. Tori's fists clenched until her knuckles turned white and her nails began to dig sharply into her palms as she watched her crew responding to the attack, starting with Pierce attempting to place a holocall, then flinging his comm aside once the attacker began to bear down on him. Her breathing became ragged when she saw Vette's pale face come into view - and then stopped altogether when she saw her father and Malavai closing in on the attacker. Transfixed, she watched as Malavai charged the attacker while her father kept up a barrage of blaster fire, and time seemed to slow down as Quinn launched himself directly in the attacker's path, a weapon Tori couldn't quite see in one hand, simultaneously flinging something toward the ship's holoterminal. The feed began to stutter and shake just before a blinding flash overtook the display, and then all that could be seen was smoke.

"Apologies, Master; that was the point at which I began to make my way to the escape pod," Too-Vee said as the image disappeared.

Tori stood in silence for a moment, clearly gathering herself, then without a word, returned her gaze to Vowrawn, who seemed to interpret her stare as an indication that he should continue where he'd left off.

"Now that you've successfully neutralized Baras's agents" - he shot Tori a questioning look, drawing a tight nod in response - "the endgame is upon us. We must both go on the offensive." Tori raised an eyebrow, but nodded once more.

"The last move here on Corellia will take both of us," Vowrawn continued, watching Tori's face carefully as he spoke. "Baras has a secret lair on this planet, where he has bound an ancient Sith spirit. He feeds off this spirit's power, stealing her visions of the future. Everything he has built has come from her insights."

"Why haven't you acted on this before, or at least told me of it?" Tori broke in.

Vowrawn raised a hand in a placating gesture. "My dear, I have tried. It was the main reason I am here, but Baras's defenses thwarted my every attempt." He grinned ruefully. "As you may have noticed, I thrive upon tactical games and maneuvering, but when it comes to brute strength, I'm afraid I'm not as sharp as I once was. Only you have the necessary strength and power to break into the lair - to resist whatever defenses remain - and only I know the ritual to free the spirit from its bonds." He tapped his temple with a smile, but it quickly faded on seeing Tori's expression. He sighed heavily, then continued.

"As for not telling you before now, I thought it best not to put too much on you at once, and we would not have been able to act until now anyway - it would have been too obvious and tipped Baras's hand too soon. Now, however, we are as ready as we can be."

Tori snorted derisively. "And it only took losing my ship and possibly -" she cut herself off with a shake of her head. "So what's the plan, then?" she asked Vowrawn with an expectant look.

He shrugged. "Simply get me to the spirit, and together we'll cripple Baras from within."

"Prepare yourself, then. I want to speak to my crew for a moment, then we leave."

Vowrawn bowed, then went to speak to Qet. Tori leaned heavily on the holoterminal for a moment, forcing herself to take deep breaths. When she straightened, her expression was carefully schooled, and she gestured for her crew to join her where she stood.

"I'm assuming you all heard that," she began, eliciting nods. She turned to Jaesa. "Anything seem off to you?"

Jaesa shook her head. "No, Master. I'm not entirely sure I understand him at times, but he reads as sincere, even when he makes no sense to me."

Tori couldn't quite crack a smile, but she gave Jaesa a satisfied smirk. "That's how I see him too," she replied. "I'll proceed as he suggests, then. I want one of you to accompany me to watch my back, but the rest of you will stay here and continue trying to reach Andronikos and Quinn."

Tori frowned, looking at her battered crew. Broonmark seemed not much worse for wear, despite the obvious hit he'd taken to his chest, other than being even crankier than usual, but Pierce was clearly in no shape for combat, and Vette looked too shaken to shoot straight. Melia had joined them and seemed uninjured, but Tori wasn't about to put her in the line of fire, even if she hadn't been clearly distraught over the fact that Malavai was missing. She turned to Jaesa once more.

"Jaesa, are you prepared to keep going as we have been?" Her apprentice's eyes almost seemed to glow with anticipation as she nodded.

"Yes, Master. I'm ready."

"I'll need you focused and sharp. Odds are very good that this assassin is still trailing us somewhere, and once Vowrawn is out in the open, I'll need you to ensure his safety. He's not as rusty on the battlefield as he'd like us to believe - yet more of his odd gameplay, I suspect - but he is not wrong when he says his strength lies far more heavily in his intellect. If he gives you direction, follow it, unless you sense something amiss. Keep your senses open and your mind clear."

"Understood."

"Good. Go take a moment to prepare yourself; I'll be with you shortly."

Tori turned to Vette as Jaesa went to find a quiet corner to gather her strength.

"I've got encrypted messages going to both Quinn and Nikos with our location," Vette volunteered. "We'll get them here, somehow."

Tori remained silent, but reached out and squeezed Vette's shoulder with an approving smile. Vette returned the gesture, though she could easily see that Tori was refusing to allow herself to dwell on the missing men.

Turning to Pierce, Tori gave him a careful once-over. "Status, Lieutenant?"

"I'm all right," he grumbled. Melia snorted, sounding very much like her brother, and Tori gave her a questioning look.

"His shoulder is still a mess. I got it put back into place, but there's bone and soft tissue damage there that's beyond my ability to address other than kolto and pain reliever stims. And if I'm not mistaken, he took a few hits during our escape, but he won't let me check him over," Melia flung an exasperated scowl in Pierce's direction as she finished, which he returned.

"Check him over, then, please," Tori said, levelling Pierce with a stare. "Lieutenant, don't make me order you to cooperate." Pierce coughed to cover his growl of irritation, which both women ignored. "Once that's done, both of you just do what you can to help Vette try to contact the others and keep your eyes and ears open. I think with Vowrawn in the open you'll be safe here, but I don't want you to be caught off-guard."

"Understood," Melia said briskly, gesturing to Pierce to follow her over to a bench.

"All right, then," Tori turned back to Vette and dropped her voice low. "Keep an eye on them, would you? He's clearly injured, and she's no doubt concerned about her brother."

Vette tilted her head to one side and looked Tori directly in the eyes. "And you? We all know who Nikos is, you know. And, well…" she trailed off.

"Can't stop to think about it now," Tori responded.

"Got it." Vette gave her a tight smile. "Don't worry, I'll hold down the fort here. You guys just go do whatever Sith woo-woo you gotta do and get back in one piece."

Despite herself, Tori chuckled. "Eloquent as usual."

With a last squeeze to Vette's shoulder, she stepped over to a corner of the room to spend a moment gathering herself. Her injured leg had stopped throbbing over the course of the speeder ride, but now that she'd stopped moving, it was becoming numb and stiff. Sinking to the floor, she worked through a series of stretches as she forced her breathing to slow and deepen, reining her focus in. Just as she began to straighten back up, Jaesa and Vowrawn approached her.

"Shall we, my dear?" Vowrawn offered an elbow, pulling Tori to her feet as she accepted it. "I've instructed Qet to keep watch at the entrance, just in case. I suspect if there is trouble, though, it will find us rather than them."

Tori said nothing, but squared her shoulders and marched purposefully to the exit. Jaesa and Vowrawn exchanged a look, then Jaesa gestured in front of herself.

"After you, my lord. I'll watch your back."

With a bow, Vowrawn glided ahead, Jaesa falling in at his heels. Behind them, the group watched in silence as the trio of Sith departed. Once they were out of sight, Qet slipped out to guard the door, and the room fell silent, save for the occasional growl from Broonmark or Pierce as Melia tended to them both as best as she could.

Vette let out a long breath, then turned to Too-Vee and the holoterminal, resuming her work with shaky hands as Too-Vee began to chatter away about signal strength and frequencies as if it were just another mission.

* * *

Malavai felt as if he were floating. Fatigue and crashing adrenaline had overtaken him, and he could no longer distinguish between the sounds around him and what was merely in his head. He thought he heard voices, muffled and distorted - Melia, shouting in alarm; Broonmark letting loose a battle cry ferocious enough to chill his spine; Andronikos cackling maniacally.

He was vaguely aware of his limbs twitching restlessly as images flashed through his mind: The face of their attacker, oddly familiar but yet not; the sheer madness in Andronikos's eyes as he hit the assailant with everything he had; himself, almost as if he were observing from without, rushing the attacker with speed and intensity he didn't know he possessed, driving a pair of vibroknives into the assassin's chest and ripping through as much cybernetic material and flesh as he could before being tossed aside like a used tissue.

He felt an impact then, hard enough that it rattled his teeth, and it took him a moment to realize that it was not a memory of hitting the floor of the Fury, but that the pod had actually hit something. Wrenching his eyes open, he held still for a moment, trying to determine if they had landed. Andronikos began to stir across the small pod just as Quinn tentatively rose as far as he could in the cramped space.

"We down?" Nikos croaked.

"Seems so." Malavai extended a hand to the older man, who predictably waved him off.

Both men stood in place for a while, testing their bodies and wits to ensure there was no major damage.

"Think I'm in one piece," Andronikos said, breaking into a cough as he trailed off. He did not, however, miss Quinn wincing a bit as he twisted his torso. "You? Seem to recall you taking a hard landing."

Quinn exhaled roughly, but nodded. "Fine. Bruised ribs, I think."

Nikos let out a harsh bark of laughter. "Hate to break it to you, kid, but you look like one giant walking bruise."

"Indeed." Quinn was quickly beginning to shift back into business mode. "Shall we crack on, then?"

"Seen enough of the inside of this bucket to last me a while, yeah."

Together, they began to work on the hatch; neither were surprised to find the controls were not functioning. Just as Andronikos pulled one of his blasters as if to shoot the panel, Quinn stopped him with a raised palm, holding up a slicing tool. After some work on Quinn's part and then a hefty shove from them both, they found themselves standing on Corellia's surface, though not in an area either of them immediately recognized.

"No telling where we dropped, I guess," Niko grumbled. "Got any ideas?"

Quinn had whipped his datapad from his jacket and, relieved to find it still working, hastily began inputting commands. "Not yet," he said by way of response. "Give me a moment. Keep your eyes open - we really don't want to be seen by essentially anyone at this juncture."

Nikos's retort was swallowed by another deep cough, but he drew his blasters and began pacing in a slow circle. Quinn's brow furrowed as he worked.

"Once we're someplace secure, I will scan you. That cough is -"

"Yeah, yeah," Nikos cut him off. "Smoke, kid. Pretty sure both lungs are intact."

Before Malavai could decide on a tone for his response, his datapad picked up an incoming message. He made quick work of the decryption, and before Nikos could ask what was going on, he lifted his head and flashed a grin.

"Coordinates," he said. "With a signature of sorts in the encryption. They are safe."

"Lead on, then." Nikos saw Quinn's face fall slightly. "What?"

"If I am correct, we are quite a distance from them, and in Republic-occupied territory. Without a speeder, getting there will take quite a while, and we may encounter fighting along the way."

Nikos rolled his eyes. "Fine. Then let's find a speeder."

"I hardly think we'll be able to rent - erm. Ah. I see." Quinn studied the map he'd pulled up. "Best chance of civilization a couple klicks this way, then." He turned sharply on his heel and began to stride off. Andronikos snickered as he fell into step just behind.

"You really ought to get out more, Captain."

* * *

Baras's lair was as dank and musty as Tori imagined it would be, and full of minor annoyances to slow their approach: fledgling acolytes, no doubt plucked from the dregs of the Academy to serve as expendable fodder for his defenses; tuk'ata hounds - nothing that posed a serious threat, but in Tori's state, enough to be more taxing than she'd like. Again she let Jaesa bear the brunt of the physical fighting, with some contributions from Vowrawn. After what felt like hours, they broke through to a large room blocked by a force field. Tori growled low in irritation, wishing she'd been able to bring Vette, but before her temper could fully rise, Vowrawn smoothly swept her aside and had the field down. She raised an eyebrow at him, but he was already pushing past her into the chamber with a rapt expression. Following his gaze, she looked up toward the ceiling at the back of the room and saw a shadowy figure suspended within a field of Force energy. Vowrawn drew within a few paces and stopped, staring up in awe. With a bob of the head indicating to Jaesa to watch the entrance, Tori stepped over until she stood next to him.

"The Entity," Vowrawn whispered breathlessly. "Such pure dark side energy. Is she not utterly beautiful?"

The departure from his typical irreverent demeanor caught Tori off-guard, but she took care not to show it. "She is quite a sight," she responded.

An ethereal, disembodied voice filled the chamber then, and Vowrawn gasped softly as they simultaneously felt a remarkably strong Force presence overwhelm their senses.

" _Come closer."_  The Entity's aura pulsed as she addressed them. " _You are here to aid. Baras knows I cannot resist."_

Tori whipped her head around to look at Vowrawn, but he remained transfixed on the being in front of them.

" _He desecrated my resting place, where I waited for my love - your Emperor,"_  the Entity continued. Her inflection did not change, but Tori felt - almost viscerally - the rage and pain trapped within the spirit.

"Fascinating," Vowrawn breathed.

" _I am bound. Every extraction pains. If you fail, he will punish me for welcoming you."_

"Do not fear, Entity; the trial is over. I know the incantation. Now it is a simple matter," Vowrawn spoke with bravado, though Tori could see he was still awestruck. But just as the Entity began to speak again, Tori felt a sense of dread, and her hand went to her lightsaber.

" _No. You do not understand."_  Tori spun around, anticipating what was next. " _We are not alone."_

The doorway came into Tori's line of sight just in time for her to see Jaesa flung aside by a familiar hulking figure. Tori's lip lifted in a sneer as the interloper set his sights on Vowrawn next, raising a hand and enshrouding the Darth in some sort of Force aura.

"At last, I have caught up to you again." The voice was slightly distorted, but still all too easily recognizable. "I told you I cannot be killed."

Tori ignited her saber, and the ball of rage flared white-hot in her belly, even without a conscious thought.

"I watched you burn to death, Draagh." she hissed.

Draagh laughed harshly, his cybernetic eyes alighting with an eerie glow. "No," he taunted, "You watched me burn, that's all. Baras retrieved me. He made me whole again. Made me stronger." He drew his sabers and began to stalk Tori.

Across the room, Tori saw Jaesa quietly struggle to her feet, but kept her expression impassive, forcing her eyes to track Draagh's movement as he continued to boast.

"In moments, the great Darth Vowrawn will begin to disentegrate," he gestured with the tip of one saber to where Vowrawn remained bound. "Then the Entity will be forever in Baras's control."

" _Truth,"_  the Entity's voice floated through the room, and Tori could sense rage and, vaguely, fear. " _The death field is powered by the machinery of Draagh's."_

A twisted smile spread across Tori's face.

"That's all I needed to hear," she purred, coiling her muscles and springing. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jaesa light her saber and rush, too. They hit Draagh simultaneously, Tori lashing out with a Force-powered kick and Jaesa letting fly a blinding stream of lightning as she closed in.

The first moments were chaos. Draagh seemed to be everywhere at once, and both women found themselves knocked down time and again. Panic rose in Tori as she saw Jaesa began to flounder and felt herself beginning to tire - and then the ground beneath Draagh's feet lit with Force energy. Jaesa immediately went down, and instinctively, Tori launched herself away, forcing Draagh and his aura away from where Jaesa lay. As she landed, she nearly staggered; a wave of fear and fury rushed her with a strength she had not ever experienced, and it nearly overwhelmed her. As Draagh rushed her, she saw Vowrawn over his shoulder, the life obviously draining from him, and once more she let her instincts take over. Fully opening her senses and dropping the walls she carefully constructed to manage her emotions, she instantly felt a massive rush of power. She raised her arms to block Draagh's next flurry of blows, and yet another wave flooded in, full of ancient pain and rage. She recognized that it was not her own, though she felt it acutely, but she channeled it anyway without pausing to think, letting it feed her.

The force of her block stunned Draagh for a brief second, and she danced away before he could gather another wave of Force energy, keeping him off-balance. The tempo of the battle reached a fever pitch; she weaved in and out, flinging her saber with deadly force even as she spun and kicked, dodged and thrust. She gave herself over completely to the sensations of battle, and with every blow she landed, she felt her strength regather. As she whirled away from Draagh yet another time, she saw him stagger a bit, and she knew he was finally beginning to weaken. With a primal yell, she charged him once more, and when he fell, this time he did not rise. He rolled at her feet, and she could smell singed flesh and alloy. She loomed over him, breathing heavily, as Jaesa limped over to stand next to her, one arm pinned into her side, visibly crushed. Tori felt frozen in place for a brief moment, but the Entity's voice quickly shook her back to the present.

" _The death field dies with Draagh."_

Tori's head snapped up, and before she could second-guess herself, she called one of Draagh's sabers to her hand and crossed its blade with her own under Draagh's chin.

"Tilt his head up so he can see me," she snarled at Jaesa. Her apprentice immediately understood and used her boot at the back of Draagh's scalp to shove his upper body up and forward, forcing him to look at his executioner.

With a roar, Tori brought the two saber blades together in a scissor-like motion, cleanly severing Draagh's head. The instant she pulled the blades clear of the corpse, the field around Vowrawn dissipated and he dropped to the ground with a groan. Tori rushed to his side, but he had already begun to rise before she reached him.

"Such a finish!" he crowed, albeit a bit hoarsely. "Never felt so much pain. I fully expected to die." He dusted himself off with a chuckle as Tori stared at him, her expression incredulous. "But I am grateful to have witnessed your destruction of that monstrosity," he finished with a little bow in Tori's direction.

Tori stood there open-mouthed, uncertain whether she wanted to laugh at him or slap him. "Happy to oblige," she said impatiently, simultaneously smirking and rolling her eyes. "Now, complete the ritual so we can free the Entity."

"Yes, of course," Vowrawn surrendered. "But one thing first." He turned to address the Entity. "Is Baras aware of what transpired here?"

" _Through me, the defiler sees all of this."_

Vowrawn tossed back his head in a burst of satisfied laughter. "Wonderful! He must be twisting with fury." Tori smirked, too, despite herself. "Now, the ritual." He turned to Tori. "I'll just be a moment, my dear. Perhaps you'd like to see to your apprentice?"

Understanding that she was being dismissed, Tori snorted derisively, but stepped away, pulling Jaesa aside. The women conversed quietly in a corner while Vowrawn sank into a meditative posture. After several long minutes, a blinding flash of light filled the room, and when it receded, the Force aura and the Entity had both vanished, and Vowrawn was crumpled on the floor. Once again, Tori rushed to his side. As she pulled him to his feet, the Entity once more appeared before them.

" _Free. Now I am forgotten again - and grateful. Remember me to the defiler."_

Vowrawn, Tori, and Jaesa all bowed in deference as the shadowy figure appeared to walk away, fading into nothing within a few paces. They stood in silence for a moment, until Vowrawn cleared his throat.

"Well! I suppose it's time we made our way back to our friends to plan our next move. Shall we?"

Wordlessly, Tori and Jaesa fell into step alongside him, and they began to make their way back out of the chamber. Before they cleared the door, however, a chill flashed through Tori, bringing her to a halt in her tracks, and she heard the Entity speak again.

" _Do not be afraid to let it in, my child. Seize that which terrifies and infuriates you. You fed on my torment and you saw how it empowered you even though it was not your own. Let down your defenses - all of them, before it is too late - and you will be glorious. Do not shut it out. Do not shut him out."_

Tori gasped and wheeled around, but the room was empty behind her save for Draagh's still-smoking corpse.

"What is it, my dear?" Vowrawn had stopped once he heard Tori's distress.

She stood still, shaking her head slightly, then rolled her shoulders and marched forward.

"Nothing. Just thought I heard a sound. Come, it's time to go."


	25. Chapter 25

The journey back to the safe house had been all but silent. Jaesa, clearly in pain, had grown very pale; Vowrawn, a bit unsteady himself, had reached out and tucked her good arm into his own elbow some time ago, and the two shuffled along several paces behind Tori.

Tori barely noticed her surroundings. Her mind was racing: the Entity’s words, the encounter with Draagh, the notion that the moment of truth may well be upon them in regards to Baras -- it was all coming to a head, and her senses were buzzing. She knew the moment she saw Draagh that he had been responsible for the attack on the Fury, and her concern for her father and -- yes, she’d admit it -- Quinn rose with every step she took. Both men were potentially unhinged enough to be overly reckless. Her father had always been that way, she knew, but in the years since her mother’s death, he’d grown more prone to indulging in intense bouts of brooding that usually ended in some drunken escapade that most people wouldn’t survive. And yet, somehow, Andronikos always did, and usually relatively unscathed.

Quinn, on the other hand, was never without a plan. She’d seen the look on his face when he charged Draagh once before: when he’d turned to face her on the transponder station just before summoning his droids. The look was of utter determination with something beneath that she couldn’t quite identify, something that seemed to be beyond perhaps even his comprehension. Then and now, though she could identify the intent, she struggled to discern his motives, a thought that brought her up short. Perhaps she didn’t know him as well as she believed, even before everything went to hell. All that aside, however, she did know that once his plan of action was set, his zeal rivaled that of her father’s, despite the inherent differences in their personalities.

Before she could examine her concern for Quinn’s well-being further, her musings were interrupted by the realization that they had nearly reached the safe house. She looked over her shoulder to see Vowrawn and Jaesa surreptitiously supporting one another, lagging behind, and she offered them an apologetic smile.

“I am sorry, my lord. Jaesa,” she said, her chagrin plain. She paused until they drew even with her, then looped an arm through Vowrawn’s free elbow. “I was lost in my own thoughts. We’re almost there now, and I’m sure we can get you both patched up.”

“No worries, my dear,” Vowrawn replied, but Tori could see the residual pain and intense fatigue in his face, and he allowed a bit of his weight to drop into Tori’s arm.

Within a moment, they arrived at the entrance to the safe house, where Qet still stood guard. He met them with his trademark glower, but reached out to take Jaesa by the arm, easing her out of Vowrawn’s grasp. As they made their way deeper into the building, Vowrawn leaned over to murmur in Tori’s ear.

“You know, I do believe our apprentices are growing fond of one another.”

Laughter bubbled up swiftly in Tori’s throat. “She’ll eat him alive,” she snorted, and Vowrawn began to laugh as well.

“Ah, it’s good for the lad to be taken down a peg or two,” he said, patting Tori’s arm where it was still linked with his own. Before they met the others, he pulled them to a halt, reaching up to clasp Tori’s shoulders and hold her at arm’s length, facing him.

“You have been a revelation, my dear,” he said, smiling at her fondly. “I cannot wait to watch you rise and put Baras in his place. I only hope we can remain allies and friends once it’s all over. In a way, I will miss all this,” he chuckled, gesturing vaguely in a circular motion with one hand.

Tori shook her head in disbelief, but found herself returning his smile warmly. “I don’t know that I’d say the same, but I would like to work together in the future as well. It has certainly been an, uh... unique experience,” she replied with a smirk, at which Vowrawn squeezed her shoulders gently before ushering her into the large room where everyone was gathered, awaiting their return.

As soon as they stepped in, Vette rushed over to squeeze Tori, tripping over Vowrawn in her haste and landing sprawled at his feet.

“Sorry, my lord,” she squeaked, and Vowrawn laughed heartily, reaching down to help her up.

Tori looked around the room, and Vette answered her unspoken question.

“Nothing yet. Depending on where and when they landed, it could be a while.”

“Just how long you going to wait around for these people,” Qet grumbled, and Melia flew over from where she’d been examining Jaesa’s arm.

“I don’t see anyone begging you to stick around,” she hissed in his face, and Tori hid her amusement behind a cough. Across the room, she saw Pierce wince, but she didn’t miss the hint of a grin playing across his lips. She caught his eye and raised an eyebrow at him, and he immediately schooled his features.

“What’s the situation?” he barked, coming over to stand at Tori’s side.

With a sideways glance at Vowrawn, Tori spoke to the group.

“The spirit that Baras had bound has been freed of his grasp. And --” she drew a deep breath “-- I believe the assassin that targeted the Fury has been neutralized.”

“What?” Vette gasped. “He found you?”

Tori felt Pierce stiffen beside her as she nodded. “I believe the person responsible for the attack on the Fury was none other than Lord Draagh, who indeed trailed us to the lair where Baras had the spirit bound. Evidently I didn’t quite finish him off on Hoth,” she said with a scowl, “but I made certain he was dead this time.”

“Indeed she did,” Vowrawn broke in. “A delightful execution,” he gestured grandly to where Draagh’s sabers hung from Tori’s belt.

“Anyway,” Tori jumped back in, “if I’m not mistaken, that was the last source of defense for Baras, so it seems as if it’s time for the final confrontation,” she finished with a pointed look at Vowrawn, who immediately sobered.

“That is true. However, weakened though he is, he will still be extraordinarily difficult to defeat. You have quite the test ahead of you, I’m afraid, but I’ve no doubt you will succeed. The Hand is, I’m sure, still tracking his movements and will almost certainly contact you soon once he makes a move.”

Tori sighed heavily and walked over to sink down into a chair; as the adrenaline began to wear off, her leg was beginning to throb and tingle. Looking around at her crew, she shook her head ruefully. “We’re quite a sight, the lot of us.” She gestured at her own leg as she propped it up on a table, Jaesa’s crudely-wrapped arm, Pierce’s shoulder. She caught Melia’s eye and gave a subtle jerk of her head in Vowrawn’s direction to indicate that she should try to look him over as well. “Everyone holding up okay?” she asked.

A chorus of mumbles filled the room, then an uneasy silence fell. Vette paced around the holoterminal; Melia continued to monitor Jaesa and Vowrawn, and Pierce wandered over to lean against the table where Tori’s leg was propped.

“You all right?” he murmured.

She gave him a shrug. “Suppose so. Can’t do much but sit around and wait.” She was silent for a beat. “How bad is the ship?” she asked quietly.

He frowned. “Hard to say. I reckon it’s pretty trashed as far as the interior. Pretty sure I saw the main holoterminal blow. Couldn’t guess as far as anything structural, or what might have happened after we launched the pod.”

Tori squeezed her eyes shut, frowning, and he reached out to touch her arm.

“Revel’s a tough son of a bitch,” he said. “Runs in the family, I hear.” Tori let out a shaky giggle and opened her eyes to look at him. He gave her a grin.

“What the story?” she changed the subject, indicating his shoulder.

“Dislocated, plus some pulled tendons, and a possible fracture or four, apparently,” he grumbled with an eyeroll. “Maybe some torn cartilage. Took a blaster bolt to the chest, too, singed a bit above m’armor. ‘S no big deal, just a pain in the arse.”

“Mhmm. And the limp?”

He scowled at her. “Talz and I collided trying to get the bastard on the ship. Went down and sprained my knee. Stupid.”

She stifled a laugh, but he could see the mirth in her eyes and gave her a playful smack. “Be nice. ‘M injured here.”

Tori pulled an exaggeratedly pouty face, and they both laughed, drawing confused looks from the rest of the group. With a pat to her arm, he hoisted himself awkwardly from his perch on the table and shuffled away, leaving her to lean back and close her eyes against the rising fatigue.

 

*****

Malavai grimaced in pain for the umpteenth time in a few hours as Andronikos manhandled the rickety landspeeder they’d commandeered -- he couldn’t quite call it stealing, as he’d slipped a well-loaded credit stick into the man’s pocket after Andronikos had knocked him out once his patience with negotiations had worn thin -- over the tattered remains of Corellian roads. He would have preferred to pilot the speeder himself; however, he couldn’t deny that it was probably in his own best interest to let Andronikos handle it given the state of his ribs, which was more grave than he’d let on, though he suspected the older man hadn’t been fooled.  

“Should be getting close, huh?” Andronikos’s shout over the whine of the speeder was nearly swallowed by the rushing wind.

Quinn checked his datapad. “Yes,” he shouted back, ignoring the throb in his ribs with the contraction of his diaphragm. “Should arrive within a few moments, I believe.”

Just as the words died away, a small cluster of buildings appeared in the distance. Tapping Nikos on the shoulder to get his attention, Quinn gestured at them. Andronikos leaned harder into the throttle by way of response. The speeder shook and sputtered, but their speed did increase infinitessimally. Within moments, they were pulling up alongside one of the buildings and ducking into the shadows to assess their surroundings.

“Seems quiet,” Nikos said, surveying the area. Quinn nodded his agreement, studying the buildings more closely.

“I think that one is our best bet,” he said, pointing to the next building over. “Assuming we’re looking for a safe house, that one has one entrance -- easiest to guard.”

“Good call, kid,” Nikos shot him an appraising look, and together they made their way over. As they entered, a low warble met their ears, and the men looked at each other with grins of relief.

“Hello, Broonmark,” Quinn said in the direction of the sound, and the Talz appeared from the shadows, where he’d obviously been hiding in stealth. “Everyone here?”

Broonmark chuffed an affirmative, then stepped back into the shadows and turned his stealth generator back on. Malavai and Nikos made their way through the corridors, and just before they stepped into the main room, Tori charged through the doorway, eyes wild, llightsaber drawn. Once she saw them, her saber clattered to the floor and her hands flew to her chest as she collapsed back against the wall.

“Oh, thank the stars,” she breathed, as Pierce and Melia came up behind her, both with blasters drawn. Melia quickly flung hers aside and launched herself at her brother, hugging him tightly and drawing a groan of pain in response.

“Damn, sorry!” she cried, stepping back to look at him. “Ah, hells, you look terrible. Come on.”

Tori watched her march him away to a chair, then turned back to her father, as Pierce quietly drifted away to give them a moment.

“Are you all right?” she asked, unable to keep her voice completely steady.

Nikos grinned rakishly, though his face was tired and drawn. “‘Course I am.”

Tori nodded, biting her lip and looking conflicted. She hesitated for a moment, and then, almost as if she couldn’t help herself, pushed off from the wall and tumbled roughly into her father’s embrace. Surprised at the show of affection, Andronikos let out a huff when she hit his chest, then blinked rapidly a couple of times and tightened his arms around her.

“I’m okay, Tor,” he whispered. “Looks like you are too, huh?” He pulled back slightly and tipped her chin up to look at him. She nodded again, still biting her lip. He smiled at her, then wrapped an arm around her shoulders and walked her into the room where the others were waiting.

“Ah, excellent!” Vowrawn boomed, coming over to shake Nikos’s hand. “All present and accounted for. Wonderful!”

“Wondered what pulled Tori out of a dead sleep like that,” Vette piped up, earning a dirty look from Tori and a chuckle from Nikos.

Melia joined them, having left Malavai stretched out on a bench near where she had Jaesa lying in a similar manner. “Not to be alarmist, but we’ve got to get… well, all of you, really, to a medbay,” she said quietly. “Jaesa’s arm really needs surgery or a Force healer, but our surgeon has a nasty set of broken ribs that need major kolto. Pierce’s shoulder needs more help than I can give it, and you’re not off the hook yet, either, my lords,” she addressed both Tori and Vowrawn.

“Well, fortunately, there’s no real need for us to remain here any longer,” Vowrawn said. “However, I’m afraid we may need to part company for a while. It will be important that I be seen leaving Corellia on my own -- official Council business or some such nonsense. I’d gladly bring you all with me, but…” he trailed off, lifting his palms in a helpless shrug.

“No, that makes sense,” Tori held up a hand, seeing her father’s face. “We’ll go. Melia, is everyone stable enough to travel?” Melia nodded. “Good. We’ll let Jaesa and Pierce take the speeder, and the rest of us --”

“Actually, we have another speeder,” Nikos broke in. “Well, sorta. It’s a pile of junk, but it should get a couple more of us back.”

Vowrawn waved a hand dismissively. “I can get a large enough speeder for all of you. However, I think it best if the Wrath not travel in a large group, so as to avoid any unwanted attention -- just in case.” He turned and began to input commands at the holoterminal.

Tori looked around at her crew. “Okay, let’s see. Vette, you’re with me. We’ll wait until the others have gained a bit of ground, then follow.” Vette snapped a salute, then scurried off to get Too-Vee from where he was folded into a corner, seemingly powered off. Tori turned her attention back to Nikos. “How’s my ship?” she asked with a grimace.

“Pretty beat up last I saw it. Still had a guest aboard when we took off, though sounds like that’s no longer an issue. Can’t be certain if he did any more damage on the way out. If not, then it’s probably flyable, though we may be missing weapons, communications, and all that good stuff.”

Tori frowned deeply. “I don’t know where we’re headed yet, but regardless, I don’t like the idea of flying that crippled. Can we use your ship?”

“You bet.”

Vowrawn spoke up again. “I’ll see to it that your ship is spaceworthy as soon as possible. I have a place in mind to store it for you, and then you can collect it as soon as you’re able.” Straightening up from the holoterminal, he addressed the group at large. “I should have a landspeeder here for you within the hour, so just relax in the meantime.”

“Thank you, my lord,” Tori said, then once again turned to her father. “Do I want to know where this speeder you have came from?”

Nikos flashed a wide grin, and she rolled her eyes. “Of course,” she snorted.

“Nah, don’t worry about it -- pretty sure I saw your captain over there slip the guy some credits while he was unconscious.”

Tori just shook her head, then walked over to where Malavai still lay on his bench. Once he sensed her approaching, he began to struggle painfully to a sitting position, but Tori quickly reached out and stopped him with a hand on his shoulder, drawing a surprised look from him.

“I’ll make you a deal. I’ll put my leg up if you lie down,” she said, a hint of laughter in her eyes.

He huffed indignantly, but settled gingerly back onto the makeshift pillow Melia had devised from her jacket as Tori pulled a chair to the edge of the bench and sat down. A bit awkwardly, she hoisted her injured leg and propped her foot along the side, just next to Malavai’s knee. She closed her eyes for a brief second, allowing her senses to reach out just a bit, and felt a mixture of thrill and apprehension coming from him. Interesting, she thought, then pulled herself back into the moment.

“I saw the attack,” she said quietly, and his head whipped around to face her. “I mean, Too-Vee showed me some of it, and before that I--” she paused to take a breath, “-- I caught bits… images, flashes, feelings… through the Force.” He inhaled sharply, but didn’t speak, which she took as an indication that she should continue. “It was Draagh. He caught up with us down here, too.”

“I thought I recognized him. But -- on Hoth, he…” Malavai trailed off, and Tori let out a harsh laugh.

“Evidently I didn’t quite finish him off,” she said bitterly. “I made certain that wasn’t the case this time.”

“I see.”

They regarded one another for a moment, then she spoke again.

“Are you all right?”

“Just a few fractured ribs.”

“Did you come by those before or after you threw yourself at Draagh while the others escaped?” Tori’s tone was inscrutable.

Quinn hesitated, then sighed. “After. I hit the floor fairly forcefully after I shoved a pair of vibroknives under his armor.”

Tori’s mouth tightened into a thin line. “I see,” she said, levelling one of his phrases back at him.

They settled into silence, the conversation clearly over for the moment, but she did not leave his side.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is not where I'd originally intended to end this chapter, but it was running pretty long, and as I think about it more, I think the next chapter will work better if I divide it here. So, what that means is that I have a decent chunk of the next chapter written, so in theory that should mean a quicker update. :) Thanks for reading!


	26. Chapter 26

True to his word, Vowrawn was able to produce a large speeder for the group in fairly short order, and within a couple of hours, Tori and her crew had reassembled at Andronikos's ship in the spaceport, leaving Vowrawn and Qet to make their way off Corellia separately.

"Whoa," Vette looked up at the large freighter looming above them. "That's some pretty serious hardware."

Nikos gave her a grin. "You like, huh?" The twi'lek nodded emphatically, still gawking.

He chuckled, then strode up the ramp to the main hatch and input the security codes. "All aboard, folks."

Vette bounded in first, followed by the others, with Quinn bringing up the rear. Tori lingered at the bottom of the ramp, her back to the ship, obviously lost in thought. Malavai paused in the doorway, looking back at her, then to Nikos, who was also watching her, his brow furrowed.

"She okay?" Nikos asked Malavai.

A bit taken aback by the question, Quinn floundered for a moment before answering.

"She's tired. She dozed off while we were waiting for the speeder to arrive, and that is very unlike her in a situation like that. She'd clearly been sleeping and was caught off-guard by our arrival at the safe house. I would be lying if I said I was not concerned."

"That your medical opinion or your personal one?"

Malavai's jaw tightened. "Both."

Nikos clapped him on the shoulder. "I gotta go run pre-flight. Get her on board and set up in my quarters. I'll bunk with the crew." Before Malavai could protest, Nikos was gone.

Sighing, Malavai took a second to brace himself before approaching Tori, reaching out to touch her shoulder when she did not seem to notice his presence. "My lord," he murmured.

Tori startled, spinning to face him. "What?" she snapped, her eyes unfocused, then shook her head and centered herself. "Apologies, Quinn. I was distracted."

Malavai nodded his acknowledgment. "If you're ready, I believe we should be able to take off soon."

She hesitated before responding. "Actually, I need to retrieve some things from the Fury, if we can get into it." She paused again. "I don't think I want to face seeing the ship alone," she admitted softly.

"Shall I fetch Vette, or send Too-Vee instead?"

She met his eyes briefly. "No, that's not necessary, if you don't mind accompanying me."

"Y-yes, of course." He couldn't quite keep the stutter of surprise out of his response. "Let me run and let Captain Revel know that we will be a moment before we are ready to depart."

"Thank you. I'll wait here."

Malavai spun on his heel and, momentarily forgetting the pain in his ribs, jogged up the ramp and into the ship. After a quick conversation with Andronikos, he hurried back out, half-afraid she had left without him. She hadn't; instead, she paced in slow circles at the base of the ramp.

"All set, my lord. Shall we?"

Side by side, they made their way to the nearby docking bay that housed the Fury. Once they arrived, Malavai could hear Tori forcing her breathing to remain deep and steady. What was visible of the ship's exterior looked unscathed, but they both knew the inside would tell a different story. She reached the hatch first, and with a grim expression, input the security codes. As they both expected, the hatch didn't respond.

"Well, I suppose that's a good thing. If we can't get in, it's not likely anyone else has," she sighed.

"If I may?" Quinn gently nudged her aside and went to work with a slicing tool. A few moments later, he backed away with a frown. "I think the locks are released, but we may have to try to force it manually. I'm not sure how much help I can be there at the moment."

"Step back," she commanded, and approached the door. Pausing for a moment to gather herself, she gave two great Force-assisted shoves, and the hatch was open. They stepped inside, making their way to the common area.

Scorch marks from blaster bolts and lightsaber blades scarred the walls and floors, and spots of dried blood were visible everywhere Tori looked. All that was left of the main holoterminal was a charred shell, the furniture was smashed, kolto from the shattered tank in the medbay had flooded into the corridor, and only a handful of emergency lights were functioning. Tori drew her saber and ignited the blade for light, the orange glow making the effect all the more eerie. As she spun in a slow circle to take in the sight, Malavai saw a pained expression on her face, but she quickly shook it off.

"All right. You can wait here; I'll just be a moment."

Out of habit, Quinn slid into parade rest as she drifted through the ship, coming back to stand beside him a short while later with a small duffel slung over one shoulder.

"Everything accounted for?" he asked, unsure what his next move should be.

She met his eyes briefly. "I have what I need. Let's go. No sense lingering here."

Tori held her saber ahead of them like a lantern as they picked their way back to the hatch, where she again used the Force to her advantage to close the door as well as she could, and they quickly made their way back to Nikos's ship. Once aboard, Tori turned as if to make her way to the crew quarters, but Malavai reached out and lightly touched her elbow to stop her.

"My lord, Captain Revel would like for you to use his quarters. I was told to see that you got settled there."

To his surprise, she did not protest. He walked with her to the captain's quarters, lingering at the door for a moment after she went in.

"Speak, Quinn," she said wearily as she dropped the duffel onto the floor and sank onto the bed. "And if you begin or end your sentence with the words 'my lord,' I will render you unable to utter those words or any others for a very long time indeed."

Despite the harshness of her words, Malavai could not suppress a small smile; he sensed no real malice behind them, but rather exasperation, much like at the beginning of his time on her ship when he continually defaulted to protocol.

"Of course. I'll leave you to your rest now, but I'd like your permission to examine your leg later."

"Yes, but on one condition. See to yourself, Jaesa, and Pierce first, and in that order."

Quinn knew better than to argue. "As you wish. I'll secure the door behind me. Rest well."

Silently, he withdrew from the room and made his way to the medbay, thankful that it was spacious and that Andronikos kept it well-stocked. As he expected, Jaesa and Pierce were already being settled into bunks by Melia and Too-Vee.

"...don't need to be stuck in here," Pierce was snarling at Melia. His sneer only deepened upon seeing Quinn step into the room. "Just kolto me up and I'll go back to the bunks."

His military training kicking in, Quinn started to open his mouth to fire back an order, but Melia fixed him with a blazing stare, and he could nearly swear he heard her voice in his head:  _Do not make this worse, Malavai, if you know what's good for you._ He tilted his head in a "have it your way" gesture, and turned to check on Jaesa, straining to hear what his sister was murmuring softly in the lieutenant's ear, but only catching a few words:

" _If you… shut up and let me… make sure you… clear?"_

Gauging by Pierce's half-pained, half-furious growl, he guessed that his sister had somehow provided ample motivation to keep her patient still for the moment. His amusement, however, was muted by the discovery that Jaesa's arm was in fairly dire shape, and the girl was clearly suffering some additional ill effects from Force-based damage, as she had slipped into a semi-conscious state.

"She needs a kolto tank at the least," he said softly to Melia when she joined him at Jaesa's side. "Truthfully a skilled Force healer would be preferable, but I'm afraid we don't have that luxury." Melia nodded, her expression grim. "Will you prepare her for surgery and then the tank? I'll reset her arm as best as I can then have the droid assist us in getting her in. I cannot lift her myself at the moment," he finished with a scowl.

"About that," Melia said with a meaningful stare, eliciting a sigh from Malavai.

"Yes, I know," he grumbled. "If you can help me with kolto and wrapping, that should be sufficient."

She was already moving to get the necessary supplies. "Sit. I'll have Too-Vee get the tank ready, then by the time you're sorted we can get Jaesa prepped and taken care of quickly." She nudged him down onto a bunk and gestured impatiently at him to start removing his jacket and shirt.

He sighed heavily, but complied. "At least I'm not getting ordered around in my own medbay," he muttered under his breath.

* * *

Malavai collapsed onto one of the well-cushioned sofas in the lounge area a few hours later. Melia had done well with his ribs, aided by his instruction - the pain had lessened significantly, but he was exhausted from both the mental and physical effort involved in getting Jaesa settled safely in the kolto tank and repairing some of the more complex damage to Pierce's shoulder. Melia had ended up having to covertly sedate the lieutenant while he was ranting, as he grew belligerent at the notion of Quinn performing the necessary procedures; she mirrored her brother's actions on an adjacent sofa, also clearly worn out.

"He should only be out a little while longer," she said. "I didn't give him a terribly strong dose."

Malavai grunted a noncommittal response.

"Is he in love with Tori?" she asked bluntly, and Quinn immediately forgot his exhaustion, sitting bolt upright.

"What?" he choked, but before the conversation could go further, Tori appeared in the lounge, her comm in hand.

Taking in the scene before her, Tori was taken aback by how strongly she felt fury and grief rolling off of Quinn in waves, but only for a split second. Their eyes met, and while she could no longer sense his emotions, she saw a wildness in his expression that she had only rarely seen before, and she quickly shut out the memories that threatened to overtake her.

"Is there a problem?" she asked, forcing her tone to remain light and neutral as she moved to perch next to him on the edge of the sofa.

Quinn recovered quickly. "No, Melia and I were just discussing Jaesa and the lieutenant's conditions."

Tori raised an eyebrow at that, but let it slide. "I have just been contacted by the Hand. Baras is on the move; they believe he is headed for Korriban. I've not yet been able to reach Vowrawn, but it seems the last step will take place in the presence of the Dark Council." She spoke as calmly as if she were describing what she ate for breakfast, but Malavai saw the tension in her eyes. He held her gaze for a moment, unsure of what to say.

"Shall I let Andronikos know?" Melia broke in, suddenly feeling as if she were intruding. Without waiting for a response, she hauled herself to her feet and made her way to the bridge.

An uneasy silence settled over the lounge. Tori stared at the floor, obviously lost in thought. Malavai's mind was racing, too, and once again remembering Vowrawn's advice, he cleared his throat and spoke before he could second-guess himself.

"I would like to accompany you when you face Baras," he said, surprising even himself with his conviction. "Both for your sake and my own. I confess that I lack resolution on a personal level." He was doubly surprised upon seeing Tori's slow nod of agreement.

"Yes," she whispered, bringing her gaze up to his, and once again they studied one another. "Yes," she repeated, more strongly. "That seems fitting." She drew herself to her feet, but did not break eye contact. "As I told you, it is your actions that will speak truth now, and this is nothing if not a moment of truth for us all."

Malavai let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, and he too rose to his feet, turning to face her and stepping as close as he dared. "Thank you," he said, willing his sincerity to bleed through. "An opportunity is all I ask."

Tori's expression softened almost imperceptibly as she ducked her chin by way of response. He reached out and swiftly, but gently, clasped her upper arm in a gesture of appreciation, then stepped aside as if to leave the room. Before he got more than a couple paces away, he felt her snag one of his rolled-up shirtsleeves to stop him.

"I trust you have seen to your own medical treatment?" she asked, still grasping his shirt lightly.

"Yes, thanks to Melia's help, I am sore but able to function without impediment," he replied. A devilish smirk flitted across Tori's features, but she quickly neutralized it.

"Very good. And Jaesa and Pierce - what are their statuses?"

It was Quinn's turn to smirk. "The lieutenant had to be sedated for what should have been a simple procedure, as he was being rather uncooperative, but he should awaken soon." Tori rolled her eyes, but gestured for Quinn to continue. "I reset Jaesa's arm as well as it could be, and she's now resting in the kolto tank. I believe she also suffered some internal damage, likely Force-related. In this case, I wish we had access to a skilled Force healer, but the kolto will eventually do the job, if less efficiently. I have Too-Vee monitoring her now."

"Keep me apprised as to her progress." Tori started to say more, but was interrupted by Vette shuffling in, clearly just up from a nap. Abruptly, Tori released Quinn's sleeve and took a step back, but not before Vette noticed and shot Tori a quizzical look.

"Wha's going on?" Vette yawned, stretching her arms over her head.

"I've heard from the Hand, and it looks like we're headed to Korriban. I've not yet been able to reach Vowrawn, but my assumption is that we will join him there." Tori kept her explanation simple.

"Ugh, that place," Vette shuddered. Tori laughed.

"I tend to agree," she said with a wry grin. "But, hopefully, it will be the last time we will have business there for a while."

The mood suddenly became very somber as all three wandered off into thought. Tori lifted her chin after a few beats and broke in. "Vette, come see what's in the galley with me. We are going to have a nice meal with the full crew, and you and I are going to put it together without the damn droid."

Vette clapped her hands and bounced on her toes. "Excellent! I'll round up Melia, too. I suspect she's a better cook than either of us. Meet you there in a sec!" Lekku flying, she dashed off to the bridge, following the muffled sounds of Melia and Nikos chatting, leaving Tori and Quinn alone once more.

"I'll… I'll just go check on Jaesa and Pierce," Malavai said, backing away, but still looking at Tori, who nodded. "Jaesa will need to stay in the tank, of course, but the lieutenant may up and around in time for the meal." Finally turning away from her, Quinn trotted off to the medbay. Tori watched him go, then took a long, centering breath and closed her eyes for a moment before making her way to the galley, where Vette had already begun haphazardly pulling things out of cabinets.

* * *

Laughter echoed in the galley, where the group - save for Jaesa, who was still being monitored in the tank by Too-Vee - sat gathered tightly around the bar area enjoying a plentiful, if hastily assembled meal. Drinks were flowing freely, and Andronikos was regaling them with the tale of acquiring the speeder on Corellia, much to Quinn's chagrin.

"Hey, I tried to bargain with the old man, but he wouldn't shut up and take a deal," Nikos shrugged, tossing back the last of a glass of ale. "I offered him way more than that scrapheap was worth."

"As I recall, you only let him get out a sentence or two before you waved your blasters at him then hauled off and decked him," Quinn drawled, sipping from his own mug.

"Not my fault he couldn't see reason. We were pressed for time, y'know," Nikos retorted, drawing giggles from Vette and Melia and a groan from Tori. Pierce sat and glowered in silence, still looking a little dazed from the effect of the sedative. Broonmark, as usual, lurked in the shadows in a corner of the room, wolfing down a pile of raw meat that Vette had dug out of one of the coolers.

The shrill beeping of Tori's comm brought the chatter to a rapid halt. Not bothering to rise from the table, she pulled it from her pocket and answered the call. As she expected, Vowrawn's form shimmered into view.

"Ah, good evening, Wrath!" he breezed, dipping forward into a little bow. "I trust you are all safe and sound?"

"We are, thank you. And you?"

"Splendid, splendid. You no doubt have heard from the Hand?" Tori nodded. "Excellent! As anticipated, Baras is en route to Korriban, where the Dark Council will convene in two days' time - to allow for those of us who are far flung to make our way . He has called a special session where he will no doubt attempt to make his claim as the Voice of the Emperor official. I will see to it that you are there - and then the day of reckoning will truly be at hand."

Tori's pulse raced at the thought, but she maintained her composure. "Indeed, my lord. We will take an indirect route to Korriban and contact you when we arrive. I presume you'll maintain this holofrequency?"

"Yes, yes, my dear. Rest up and gather your strength." Unable to contain himself, Vowrawn stretched out his arms in elation. "Ahh, the anticipation fills my veins with fire! I feel a hundred years younger."

Vette chortled at that, and Tori threw her a stony glare. "I will be ready," she said. "If there's nothing else…"

"That's all, young one. I see you are enjoying a meal, so I will not keep you. Until Korriban." With a last sweeping bow, Vowrawn disconnected, and Tori sank back into her seat. The room remained silent; she sensed that all eyes were on her. Rather than lapsing into mission mode, she picked up her fork and resumed eating with a pleading look in Vette's direction, who immediately understood and began to chatter to Nikos about the ship. Gradually, the momentum of the conversation drew them all in, and once focus was adequately shifted from her, Tori began to gather empty plates and glasses, taking an armload to the sink and marvelling at its size.

"Must see to upgrading the Fury's water reclamation," she murmured to herself idly as Melia brought another load over. "We'll leave these for Too-Vee," Tori told her.

"Works for me," Melia snickered. "I can handle clearing the rest, if you want."

Tori shook her head. "No need; we'll let the rest of that lot do it." She tilted her head to indicate the group around the table. "I do have a favor to ask of you, though. I'm betting Pierce isn't taking kindly to Qu- to Malavai treating him. Would you check in on him before the end of the evening and see that he gets some rest? Tranq him again if you must."

Melia laughed at that, as Tori smirked at her knowingly. "Of course. I'll be bunking in the medbay to monitor him and Jaesa so Malavai can get some rest and look after his ribs. Anything else you need?"

"Thank you, but no." Tori gave her a grateful smile. "Keep it up and I might try to recruit you permanently," she teased.

A shadow flickered over Melia's face. "Hey, I might take you up on it. I'm pretty sure I no longer have a job on Dromund Kaas."

Tori sobered immediately. "I am sorry you've been pulled into this mess. Once Baras is dealt with, I'll do whatever I can to see that you are able to return to whatever sort of life you wish."

"Thank you, my lord," Melia said softly. "I do appreciate that."

"Of course. And please - it's Tori or Torilya. I really do mean that."

Melia ducked her chin, and Tori smiled at her once more as she made her way out of the galley, turning to face the group for a moment.

"Thank you all for playing along and joining me for dinner, but I believe I will turn in. I encourage you all to get some rest, too. It's been a long few days for us all and we have more to come. Good night." With a small smile at everyone, Tori turned and left the room, heading for the captain's quarters.

Amid a chorus of "good nights," Melia slid next to Pierce and stooped to speak in his ear. He scowled, but wearily stood and followed her to the medbay. Vette and Nikos, still conversing animatedly about the ship, made quick work of clearing the rest of the dishes, and Malavai managed to slip from the room unnoticed. Catching up to Tori at the door to her quarters, he reached out and once again caught her by the elbow.

"Tori," he said quietly, and she stiffened upon hearing her name on his lips. "I'd like to check your leg now. As I recall, we did have a deal," he arched an eyebrow at her playfully as he gently turned her to face him.

She sighed, but he saw a faint twinkle in her eyes that was not quite obscured by the odd amber color still lingering there. "I suppose you're right. Shall I come to the medbay, or…?" she trailed off.

"If you prefer to stay in your quarters, I can just go get my kit. Assuming there are no new issues, this should only take a few moments," he said, his voice dropping into a lower register that he knew from past experience she found soothing.

"Yes, that will be fine. I'll leave the door unlocked; just come in when you're ready." She slipped into the room, pulling the door mostly shut behind her.

Malavai all but flew to the medbay, ignoring Pierce's grumbles at Melia while he hastily gathered supplies. Melia shot him a wink over her shoulder as he raced back out and to Tori's door. He paused to catch his breath, then lightly tapped on the door.

"Enter," she called softly.

He slid into the room on soft feet, feeling for some reason that any undue noise or sudden movements might wreak havoc. She had changed into a camisole and cutoff workout leggings and was sitting propped against a pile of pillows on the bed; his breathing grew a little ragged at the sight of her long limbs exposed in the soft light. Mastering himself, he stepped over and carefully set his bag on the edge of the bed, pulling out his scanner and a couple of prepared syringes. Silently, he began to work, checking the muscles and soft tissues with deft fingers, using the scanner to examine nerve response and bone. She remained still, her head leaning against the wall and her eyes closed. After a few minutes, he straightened, and when she did not open her eyes, he gingerly sat on the edge of the bed. She startled, but immediately calmed.

"I'm sorry. I nearly dozed off," she admitted. "What's the prognosis?"

"The good news is that there is no further significant damage. The bad news is that you certainly are not healing, but this comes as no surprise," he responded. "I strongly recommend you allow me to administer a muscle relaxer as well as a heavy dose of kolto. The combination should also ensure that you sleep soundly, which you obviously need."

She regarded him carefully, then nodded her agreement. "All right. It's not as if I have anywhere to be tomorrow, I suppose." Her lip curled in what was supposed to be a grin, but came off as a grimace.

By the time he administered both injections, she was already halfway asleep despite still being crunched into a half-sitting position. Keeping his touch as light as possible, Malavai carefully moved his hands to her shoulders, and her eyes fluttered open.

"Just relax," he murmured. "I'll take care of the pillows." Her eyes closed again, and he slid one arm behind her back, supporting her as he removed the excess pillows, then slowly, gently lowered her until she was lying comfortably on her back. Working his arm free, he pulled the blankets over her, and with a last soft squeeze of her shoulder, whispered "Sleep well, my lord," and stepped away. He quietly gathered his supplies and crept to the door, securing it behind him. Drawing a deep breath, he made his way to his own bunk for the night in the crew quarters, unable to stop the smile spreading across his face.


	27. Chapter 27

Tori walked through a familiar flat, grey landscape. She squinted against the fine mist that enshrouded her, feeling certain she should recognize her surroundings, but was unable to make heads or tails of what she saw: moving shadows, vague shapes - nothing that would slide into focus. She slowed to a halt and closed her eyes, reaching out with her other senses and the Force. There was some presence there, she could tell, but she couldn't discern precisely what. Fear and curiosity fought for dominance in her mind; frowning, she opened her eyes once more and peered into the distance, willing her curiosity to prevail and her gaze to soften. She held still, focusing on steadying her breath, resisting the urge to move or run in any given direction. The passing of time felt distorted, but in what direction she couldn't be sure. Finally, she dropped to a meditative posture on her knees and began to count her breaths, all the while letting her gaze remain unfixed, but keeping her eyes open.

Somewhere around the hundredth breath cycle, she became more strongly aware of the presence, and realized it felt familiar, too, though she could no more identify it than she could her surroundings. A few breaths later, she caught a glimpse of eyes watching her through the mist - multiple pairs. She fought to keep her breath steady against the fear rising in her belly and, without moving from her knees, set her focus on the nearest set: human, a rich brown, shaped much like her own. The irises flared brightly under her scrutiny, but they did not come nearer to her. She focused on them a moment more, and then when she was satisfied that they did not pose an immediate threat, she shifted her attention to the next pair. Before she could really focus, though, muffled voices caught her ear. Her back involuntarily stiffened; her quadriceps coiled tightly, ready to spring.

". _..shut in there for hours, and no one thought to make sure he hadn't 'accidentally' overdosed her?_ " The voice was distorted and a bit muffled, but there was no mistaking the hostility in it - nor the source.

_Pierce._

" _Look, I don't pretend to understand what is going on between you and her or you and Malavai, but despite your best efforts to convince me otherwise, I know you are not a stupid man. Don't you think that if he had really wished to cause her harm, he would have done it long before now?"_

_Melia_.

Tori couldn't make out the reply, but it was quickly silenced by a third voice - quiet, but cold, hard, and obviously deadly serious.

" _Step aside, Lieutenant. Now. And if your little outburst has disturbed her rest, as it did my own, I can assure you there will be consequences._ "

_Malavai._

A shiver went up Tori's spine that she quickly realized had little to do with the fog that surrounded her, but was a visceral response to the commanding tone Quinn had assumed.

_Wait. Dreaming. Must be._

Screwing her eyes tightly shut, Tori willed her body to catch up to her mind. She opened them and let out a sigh of relief upon recognizing the captain's quarters aboard her father's ship. A few tentative stretches revealed that the rest had done her some good - she could tell some strength had returned to her body. She strained to hear what was happening outside the door, but her would-be visitors had apparently either dropped their voices or had moved away. Sighing, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and gingerly pulled herself to a sitting position. Her eyes closed, she began rolling her neck in slow circles, but stopped midway through the third one when the sound of the door's lock releasing caught her ear. The door opened, letting a flood of light into the room briefly before her visitor's shadow blocked it again as the door clicked closed. Tori did not bother to turn around.

"Come in, Quinn," she greeted him softly.

* * *

Pierce stood down the corridor from the captain's quarters, positively glowering as he watched Quinn's back disappear into the room where Tori slept. A yank on his sore arm pulled a roar of protest from his throat, and he spun around to face Melia, who wore an expression just as furious as his own.

"What?" he snarled in her face, half expecting her to shrink back from him as most women he'd known would. When she leaned into him in retaliation, though, he instantly realized he was not surprised - and, if he were perfectly honest, a little excited.

"I know you don't trust him. And given recent events, I can understand that to a point. But you have never trusted him, have you? Never respected him, never given him a chance. And why? Because she chose him over you to be both her right hand and her lover? You trust her, don't you? And yet you can't give into that trust when it comes to him - because, what, it threatens you? Jump in anytime here,  _Lieutenant_ ; I'm just trying to figure out what the hell your problem is." Melia's tone dripped with derision as she threw Pierce's rank at him, and her eyes looked so much like her brother's as they stared him down coldly that Pierce's stomach lurched a bit.

He drew in a deep breath in preparation to fire back, but to his own shock, instead of the angry torrent he was ready to release, he merely blew out a long sigh and felt his shoulders sink. Melia's gaze seemed to hold him pinned against the wall, and he suddenly felt exhausted.

"You're just as much of a pain in my arse as he is, you know?" he grumbled, but the heat had gone from his tone. She merely arched an eyebrow in response, but made no sound nor made a move to let him escape. Understanding that he truly was trapped, Pierce slid down the wall to land heavily on the floor on his backside. Melia followed suit against the opposite wall, effectively pinning him in, still remaining silent.

He let his head fall back and hit the wall with a thud, then slowly and seemingly beyond his control, the words began to tumble out.

"She and I don't actually work that well together in the field. Never seem to really get in sync, tend to get in each other's way. Once I saw the two of them work together, I knew I'd never be her first choice for battle. Told m'self that was all well and good, but I don't like being sidelined. Prefer to be in the thick of it, y'know. Hated him for that. Hated knowing I'd never be as indispensable to her as he was. And the fact that he walks around like he's got a durasteel rod up his arse is bloody annoying." He cut his eyes to Melia's just in time to see her smirk at that before she gestured at him to continue. "Thing is, I did trust him, even if I couldn't stand him. Couldn't believe it when she told me what happened. Seeing her broken like that… it was just so wrong. And I should have seen it coming," he finished with a scowl.

Understanding dawned on Melia's face. "You're angrier with yourself than anything else," she whispered. "You feel responsible. If you'd been her right hand instead of him, it might not have hurt her as much; if you'd figured out what was about to happen, you could have stopped it, all that. Something along those lines, yeah?"

He didn't answer, just closed his eyes. Melia studied him for a moment, then, figuring she was already in it this far, steeled herself before asking her next question.

"Do you love her?"

His jaw flexed. "There's something there," he admitted, eyes still closed. "Never been close to a woman like I am to her. But I dunno what you'd call it. I have a hell of a lot of respect for her, actually enjoy being around her. And yeah, definitely attracted to her. So I guess if that's love, then yeah, maybe I do."

He opened his eyes to see Melia still steadily staring him down. Without breaking eye contact, she rose onto her knees and closed the small distance between them. Using his collar as leverage, she pulled herself up so that they were nose to nose.

"You're a damn mess, you know that?" she said so softly that he strained to hear her. Then, without warning, she caught his lips in a hard, fast kiss before releasing him. She backed away and rose to her feet, looking down at him where he still sat on the floor and smirking. "There. Something new for you to drive yourself crazy over."

Still smirking, she spun on her heel and sauntered off back to the medbay, leaving Pierce speechless for perhaps the first time in his life.

* * *

Malavai stepped toward Tori slowly, almost as if he were approaching a wounded animal.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better," she responded, shifting to one side so that she could see him. "I believe you were right about the kolto and the sedative. I actually feel somewhat rested for a change."

He nodded, trying to keep his grin of satisfaction modest. She did not miss it.

"Would you like me to say the words again, Quinn?" she teased.

"Perhaps I'll save that for another time, my lord," he volleyed back, quirking one eyebrow demurely.

She chuckled, then moved as if she were going to rise to her feet. Malavai was at her elbow in a flash, gently pulling her to stand beside him.

"I assume the, er, conversation outside your door woke you," he began, all traces of levity gone from his voice. "I apologize for that. It seems the Lieutenant got away from Melia while I was resting. I assure you, I will be taking over in the medbay at once and he will not cause any further disruptions."

Tori waved a hand dismissively. "It was time I got up anyway; I see I've slept nearly half the day away," she replied with a glance at the display of the datapad lying on the nightstand. "As for Pierce, I think it best if you let your sister and I handle him." She looked back at him pointedly, and he ducked his chin in submission, though not before she saw the flash of irritation in his eyes.

"As you wish. I also believe it is nearly time to pull Jaesa from the tank, if you'd like to be present. Since we don't know how she will handle the aftereffects of her injuries, the sedation, and the confinement, it may be prudent to have you there as both a familiar presence and as a precaution. You are likely the only one aboard who could safely overpower her if need be."

"Yes, I agree. Will I have time to clean up, or do you need me right away?"

"It will take some time to prepare her to exit the tank. I'll have Too-Vee begin those processes. You have plenty of time to do whatever you need - and, if I may suggest, have some breakfast." He glanced at his own datapad. "Or perhaps lunch is more appropriate. In any case, I'll leave you to your preparations."

Quinn turned and stepped to the door, only to be halted by a hurried "Wait!" from Tori. He spun on his heel, alarmed, just in time to see her drop to the floor beside the bed. He rushed to her side, already preparing his scanner, but just as he sank to his knees beside her, she straightened up, brandishing something that she'd evidently pulled out of the duffel bag she'd stowed under the bed.

"Here!" She thrust the container at him, apparently oblivious to his concern. "Before you put Too-Vee to work, sneak into the galley and get this going, would you?"

Thoroughly confused now, Malavai gaped at her in consternation for a moment before carefully prying open the lid. Once the aroma hit his nostrils, he smiled in recognition.

"I'm sure you've noticed that my father's taste in caff is simply dreadful," she said dryly. "Leftover habit from his pirating days, evidently. Though what drinking something that smells like burned rancor hide and tastes even worse has to do with pirating, I'll never understand."

"I'll see to it," he promised, and hurried away.

A short while later, Tori emerged from the captain's quarters and followed her nose to the galley where, as promised, Quinn had a fresh pot of caff prepared. She poured herself a large mug and sat down at the bar, not really ready to face the prospect of finding food yet. Instead, she powered on her datapad and began idly browsing the holonet while she leisurely sipped at her drink. After skimming a few news stories, she suddenly found herself laughing uncontrollably: Here she was, reading the news at the breakfast bar like it was just a normal day at home - something she rarely had the luxury of doing - when she was mere hours away from what might well be the biggest test of her life. The irony of the situation was too much; no matter how hard she tried to collect herself. the laughter would not stop bubbling up in her throat.

She still hadn't quite managed to compose herself when Pierce came in, looking a little unsettled. Choking back a last hiccup of laughter, she waved him over to join her, but quickly sobered on seeing an odd jumble of expressions flicker across his face before he schooled his features.

"Pierce?" Her greeting immediately turned into a question.

He nodded brusquely by way of response, walking past her to rummage in the galley cupboards for a drink. Her brow knitted upon seeing him select a bottle of ale from the cooler and downing half of it in one go before he reached the stool across from hers.

"You're feeling all right, then?" he asked without making eye contact.

"Yes, quite well now that I've had some rest." Her answer was sharp, pointed, and had the desired effect: his chin came up and he finally looked at her. "And you?" she asked him, more gently.

He shrugged. "Still half-drugged. Every time I start to perk up that sister of the captain's jabs me with another damn needle."

Tori hid her smile behind her mug, taking a long sip before responding. "She seems to have a handle on you," she quipped, one eyebrow raised.

For a split second Pierce looked flustered, then his eyes met hers and, seeing Tori's barely suppressed mirth, he relaxed and assumed his usual swagger. "She should be so lucky," he scoffed, with only a hint of insecurity.

"Mmm." Tori gave him a knowing glance, then turned her attention back to her datapad. They passed several minutes in silence before Tori braced herself, put her datapad down, and reached across the bar to place a hand on his arm.

"I have agreed to allow Quinn to accompany me when I face Baras," she told him, squeezing his arm gently. Before he could protest, she hurried on. "I know you won't like it, nor will you understand. But -" she looked down as she searched for words "- I feel it has to be this way. As I told him, it is a moment of truth for us all. He will not be able to mask his true loyalties, and regardless of how it ends… I have to know," she finished. When she looked back up at him, her expression seemed both a testament to her resolve and a plea for understanding.

Pierce swallowed hard against the maelstrom of fury and fear rising in his gut. He stared at her for several moments, his jaw working furiously. She didn't look away, nor did she make any further moves to reassure him, even when he dropped his head into one massive palm, pinching the bridge of his nose tightly. Eventually, he straightened back up.

"You're right. I don't understand it. And I don't like it."

Tori nodded once, unable to fully mask the pain that flashed across her face, and stood abruptly as if to leave, but he stopped her by covering the palm that still rested on his arm with his own and pressing firmly, holding her in place.

"But I don't have to like it or understand it to trust your instincts. Told you I'd watch your back no matter what, and I mean that."

Tori let out an audible sigh. "Thank you, Pierce," she said, and stepped around the bar to stand between his knees and wrap her arms around his neck. He stiffened at first, but quickly relaxed and brought his arms to her waist to return the embrace - and at that moment, Tori knew they would be okay. With a last squeeze to his neck, she released him and stood with her hands resting lightly on top of his shoulders.

"Now," she said, her eyes twinkling mischievously, "tell me more about 'that sister of the captain' and her mistreatment of you."

Pierce's eyes rolled at her overblown - and poor - imitation of his voice as he pulled a hand back from where it rested on her hip to deliver a sharp slap to her thigh, and the galley filled with Tori's laughter. She was silenced, however, when she felt Pierce's fingers dig into her flesh a bit and saw him bristle as he looked off to her side and behind her.

"Something we can do for you, Captain?" he barked, and Tori spun to see Malavai standing in the doorway with his eyes blazing.

Ignoring Pierce altogether, Quinn addressed Tori in his most businesslike manner. "My lord, we are ready to proceed with extracting Jaesa from the tank, if it is convenient for you to join us at this time."

Tori smoothly extracted herself from Pierce's grasp. "Yes, of course, Quinn. I'll be right there."

Malavai spun sharply on his heel and marched back to the medbay without responding, and Tori let out a huff of irritation before turning back to Pierce, who sat with his arms folded and a carefully blank expression.

"I need to see to Jaesa, but we'll continue this conversation later," she tried to resume her good-natured ribbing, but it fell flat in the moment. Pierce's smile more resembled a wince, but he nodded gamely and pulled himself to his feet with some mumbling about checking over their gear. Tori squeezed his arm one last time, then made her way to the medbay, where Quinn, Melia, Too-Vee, and Andronikos all stood ready around the kolto tank.

* * *

Pulling Jaesa from the tank proved to be surprisingly uneventful, which, if Tori were honest, was a bit disconcerting. She suspected her apprentice had been more affected by their encounter with Draagh than was evidenced by her physical injuries. Quinn's inspection of Jaesa's arm revealed that it was healing nicely, though she would need to be careful of it for a while, and outwardly the girl seemed in much better shape than she had immediately after their sojourn to Baras's lair on Corellia. Tori sensed, however, that they were not fully clear of the incident yet, and once Jaesa had been carefully settled into a bunk in the medbay, Tori called Malavai, Melia, and her father to her quarters to discuss the situation.

"I can't really explain it," Tori told them, "but I just sense that she's not yet truly recovered. And as much as I'd like to delve into that, I'm afraid it must wait until after tomorrow's, ah, meeting with the Council." Guilt and trepidation rushed through her, but she kept her remarks light and casual.

Melia's brow furrowed, but Quinn nodded slowly. "I concur," he replied, his demeanor still somewhat icy. "We anticipated there might be some lasting effects. My recommendation is that she be kept under light sedation and constant observation for the next forty-eight hours at minimum. Her injuries, while vastly improved, are still not yet fully healed, and that will allow time to decide upon an approach to address any psychological or Force-related impacts as well."

"So we're stalling," Melia broke in impatiently, eliciting a suspicious-sounding cough from Andronikos.

"In essence, yes," Tori admitted.

"I'll keep an eye on her, then," Melia responded. "If you think she's potentially dangerous to herself or us, then I have no problems administering sedatives. I just don't like the idea of keeping someone drugged longer than necessary."

"Uh, sorry if I'm being dense here, but shouldn't the medic be the one doing that?" Nikos gave Melia a puzzled look.

Tori cleared her throat. "Malavai will be accompanying me to meet with the Council." She shot her father a look that clearly begged him not to ask questions, thus missing the look exchanged between Melia and her brother.

"All right," Nikos replied, returning Tori's stare with one of his own. "So we keep the droid in the medbay as backup, and Vette and I can handle the ship. What about the lieutenant and the Talz?

"I want them to remain here as well, for security's sake. If something should go wrong on the surface, I trust them to protect you and my crew in case trouble finds you," Tori answered.

"Pierce won't like that," Melia blurted, almost as if she hadn't meant to speak aloud.

"I leave him in your personal care." Tori had to suppress a grin as she watched Quinn visibly bristle at her words. "Do we have an ETA for Korriban?" she asked her father.

"Should be another twelve hours or so. Puts us there just after dawn surface time."

"Very good. On that note, I suggest we all try to relax while we can."

Nikos grinned. "Good thing I stocked the bar before I left home."

Shaking her head, Tori shooed them from her quarters, intending to change into workout clothes and spend some time loosening up in the cargo bay, but Quinn lingered behind.

"Did you need something?" she asked him once it became apparent that he wasn't going to speak without being prompted.

He looked agitated, but kept his voice steady. "I would like to check your leg once more before we disembark." He stopped abruptly as she nodded, clearly not finished speaking his mind, but looked at the floor rather than continuing.

"Speak, Quinn. Say the words."

His shoulders heaved as he drew several deep breaths, then just as she started to wonder if she should be irritated or concerned, his head snapped up and he drew himself to his full height before stalking over to her. His arm snaked out and wrapped around her waist, pulling her to him roughly. Her hands splayed on his chest reflexively, and his free hand came to her chin and raised it so that she was forced to look into his eyes. Her breath hitched when she saw that his normally bright blue irises had darkened, almost appearing black. His nostrils flared as he seemed to continue to fight to maintain his composure, but he did not release his grasp on her.

"You recently told me words were empty and meaningless," he growled low in his chest, "but I feel the need to speak some truth to you before we face Baras and the Council." With that, he slid the hand at her chin to the back of her head, tunneling his fingers into her hair, and brought his lips to hers.

His kiss was deep and possessive, with an edge of desperation. She felt herself yield to it - to him - nearly immediately, her hands at his chest curling to grasp the front of his shirt. It didn't last long; he pulled himself back to rest his forehead against hers after just a few seconds. She looked into his eyes again to see them softening, and he released her hair and her waist to bring his hands up to cup both sides of her face. She closed her eyes tightly as he ghosted his thumbs over her cheekbones and kissed her once more, tenderly this time, so softly she nearly couldn't tell whether she felt his lips on her skin or his breath.

He stepped back, releasing her, and without a word turned and walked out of her quarters, leaving her staring after him in stunned silence.

* * *

Waiting patiently had never been one of Tori's strengths. To be within hours of what would inevitably a huge turning point for her and her future as a Sith - to truly prove herself as the Wrath, to finally be free of Baras's reach - and yet be confined within the walls of the ship with nothing to do but twiddle her thumbs was beyond maddening. Her muscles twitched as she sat on the floor of the captain's quarters attempting to meditate, but she soon realized with surprise that her mind was relatively still. Yes, there was plenty to ruminate over outside of the showdown with Baras, but when she really reached deep, the upcoming battle was what consumed her. She paused, allowing herself for a moment to consider what that meant about Malavai and his role in what was to come, and realized she really did not feel anxious at the prospect of him being at her side the next day. While she couldn't say that she felt certain that she knew what would happen, she realized that she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was right that he be there, no matter the outcome. That, she supposed, was worth something.

With a sigh, she abandoned her attempt at meditation, deeming it a waste of time. She wandered to the chest where she'd stored her armor and contemplated putting it on, but instead reached for a soft, worn robe and pulled it around her before slipping out into the corridor and padding toward the lounge. She was not surprised to see both her father and Vette sprawled in adjacent armchairs watching holovids with a bottle of Corellian whiskey between them, but she was quite surprised to see Malavai, Melia, and Pierce out there with them. Melia and Pierce took up one of the lounge sofas, each at one end but looking quite comfortable with their legs sharing space. Quinn raised an eyebrow at her from the other as she approached, then gestured to the end of the sofa opposite him, tossing a throw pillow at her as he did so. Unable to suppress a smile, she sank into the cushions and tucked her legs up alongside his. With a last look around at the people who had come to mean the most to her, she settled in to wait out the night, ready to face whatever the coming day had in store for her.


	28. Chapter 28

The chiming of the ship's navicomputer brought Tori, Nikos, and Malavai out of their light dozing with a start.

"Korriban," Nikos mumbled, his voice even rougher than usual, before hauling himself out of his chair and, with a grimace, shuffling to the bridge.

Tori nodded, stretched, and pulled herself to her feet; Quinn mirrored her actions next to her before reaching out to touch her arm.

"I'll be in the medbay," he murmured. "I need to assess Jaesa and prepare for our venture to the surface. Please come in and allow me to check your leg before we depart." His words were businesslike as usual, but tension was plainly visible in his face.

Tori, still not ready to speak, simply nodded once more. They shared a quick, tight smile, then he quietly left the room. She remained where she was for a while, studying her sleeping friends, then crept to the galley to start caff before her father could beat her to it. Once that was going, she went in search of Andronikos, finding him pacing slowly around the lounge.

"We're docked," he informed her flatly in a whisper. She knew he had always hated Korriban, and even more so since her mother had died. A wave of mixed emotion flared in her chest.

"I can't thank you enough for all you've done," she murmured. "I know you had sworn off Sith business forever, and here I am dragging you right back into it." She looked up at him just in time to see the flash of pain in his eyes, but instead of shutting down the conversation by walking away as she anticipated, he reached out and pulled her into his arms.

" _You_  are my business, and you are Sith," he growled. "I know I've said some bitter, hateful, and downright stupid shit over the years since we lost your mother, and I've said far more of it in front of you than I should have, especially when you were younger." He seemed to struggle to find words; a long pause passed between them. "But I hope you know that even though I haven't always been the best father to you, I am proud as hell of you and will do anything in my power to see you get where you want to be, even if that meant parking permanently in this hellhole."

The sob that had started to rise in Tori's throat turned abruptly to strangled laughter at that, and the choking sound that resulted as she pulled back to swat her father on the arm woke Vette.

"We there?" she called sleepily to them without opening her eyes.

"Yeup," Nikos said, fully releasing Tori and making his way to the caff machine. "Up and at 'em, Pip."

"' _Pip_ '?" Tori repeated, suppressing a smile as Vette flung a rude gesture in Nikos's direction, eyes still screwed shut.

"Short for 'pipsqueak,' since I told him I didn't like that," Vette mumbled.

"Ah, quit your bitchin'," Nikos cut in, coming back over to hand Vette a cup of caff and affectionately tweak her  _lekku_. Vette snorted in indignation, but sipped at her caff without further complaint.

Tori's expression turned almost wistful as she watched the byplay between her father and Vette, whom she'd come to regard almost as a younger sister. Similar light-hearted moments between Tori and her father made up the bulk of her fond memories of growing up, but they became few and far between once Tori began to train as Sith, and all but disappeared once her mother was gone. With a shake of her head, Tori forced her mind back to the present.

"I'll be contacting Vowrawn shortly for instructions," she told Vette quietly. "It shouldn't be long before I leave for the surface." She paused to perch on the arm of Vette's chair, taking the Twi'lek's chin in her hand and tilting her face up to look at her. Vette's eyes widened a bit, and she quickly set her caff down.

"Vette, I want you to promise me something. I fully intend to smash Baras like the slug that he is, but if something should go wrong on the surface today, I want you to stay with my father, at least for a while. He clearly has a fatherly sort of affection for you, and I think you'd do each other good - if you both can manage to stay out of trouble." Tori cracked a grin.

Vette's chin trembled and her eyes shone, but she held it together. "You got it. I'll keep an eye on the old man."

Tori nodded once, firmly, bringing her hand to Vette's and squeezing. "And let him do the same for you. That's all I ask." Their eyes held for another moment, then Tori stood once she heard stirring from the other side of the room.

"What's happening?" Pierce rasped, sitting up and rubbing the back of his neck with a wince.

"We've arrived at Korriban," Tori told him. "I'll be checking in with Vowrawn soon and probably leaving for the surface essentially immediately thereafter."

The fog cleared from Pierce's expression instantly. "Right. What do you need me to do?" He nudged Melia awake as he stood.

"Be ready to get everyone aboard to safety if something should go wrong. Dad will need someone to manage the ship and the people aboard it while he concentrates on flying. I need you to stay sharp."

Melia spoke up quietly. "I'll handle the medbay. I'm not as good as my brother, but with the droid's help, I can at least triage and give any casualties a chance at making it to a proper med facility."

"Jaesa will be your primary concern," Tori told her. "It's imperative that she not exacerbate lingering injuries or effects of our encounter with Draagh on Corellia."

Melia ducked her chin in understanding. "I'll just grab some caff and freshen up a bit, then," she said, and turned to leave the room. Tori caught her by an elbow and spun her around.

"Thank you," she said, squeezing Melia's arm for emphasis. "You really were only meant to come aboard for your protection, and you've done more to protect and aid me and my crew than I can say. I cannot begin to repay your kindness."

Melia gave Tori a rueful smile. "Just get yourself and my brother back to this ship in one piece once this is all said and done and we'll call it even."

Tori laughed and pulled her in for a spontaneous, quick hug. "I intend to do nothing less," she said, releasing a surprised Melia and stepping out of her way. Once she heard Melia and Vette chatting over their caff, she stepped closer to Pierce and dropped her voice.

"I need you to watch out for her in particular. If this goes badly she won't take it well, and we owe it to her to do what we can to get her back to some semblance of a normal life if she so chooses. But more than protection, she's going to need someone in her corner. And even assuming all goes to plan, she'll need support while we're on the surface." She looked at Pierce evenly. "I trust you to take care of her."

Pierce straightened to his full height and returned her stare. "I'll do my best."

"That's all I ask."

Just then, Tori's comm beeped in her pocket and the room fell utterly silent. She pulled it out and accepted the call. As she expected, Vowrawn's image popped into view.

"Ah, you're here!" the Darth cheered, all but bouncing with excitement. "Most excellent! I cannot wait to see Baras's face when I present you to the Council in just a short while."

"Yes, have your holocamera ready to preserve the moment for posterity," Tori drawled, her exasperation tempered by the smile she couldn't completely hide.

Vowrawn threw his head back and cackled. "If only we could sell tickets!" he chortled, then sobered. "Now, the Council will be convening in just one hour's time. Prepare yourself, and then meet me in the Council's antechamber. I'll see to it that no one dare obstruct you on your way there. Then, we shall make our entrance. I'll see you shortly, my dear." With a bow, he ended the call before Tori could respond.

Tori calmly pocketed her comm. "I suppose I should get dressed," she said lightly, and turned and left the room without another word.

She began to head for her quarters, but within a few paces of the door, altered course and instead went to the medbay, Quinn was bent over Jaesa, completing a series of scans, but straightened as soon as he heard Tori's footsteps.

"It's time," she told him without preamble. "Vowrawn just called. The Council is convening within the hour."

Without responding, Quinn stepped over to her and began to scan her leg. Tori swatted his hands away impatiently.

"You know that's pointless," she grumbled.

He shrugged and dropped the scanner into the medpack on his belt. He had already pulled on the leathers he typically wore in the field, and Tori knew that he had no fewer than three knives on his person in addition to the blaster at his hip. She was surprised to see, however, that he wore a set that gave no indication that he was Imperial military.

"No uniform today?"

"I am not acting as an Imperial officer today," he responded, looking her in the eye. "My loyalty is singular, and it is to something far more worthy than the Empire."

She held his gaze for a moment, then stepped around him to Jaesa's bedside, laying a hand on the girl's shoulder. "How is she?"

"Stable. The sedation is not heavy, but should be enough to keep her resting comfortably."

Tori huffed out a breath. "I hate leaving her like this. I hate that I haven't been able to give her the kind of attention and guidance she needs. I've not been a very good master. It isn't fair to her. All that potential, more or less wasted thus far."

Malavai knew she didn't want words of comfort, so he offered none. "I'll be at the airlock when you're ready," he said, and his words had the desired effect of refocusing Tori's attention. She stepped back and turned to him once more.

"I'll gear up and be with you shortly."

"I am ready, my lord."

* * *

Tori made her way to the airlock a short while later, dressed in her close-fitting black armor with a long, hooded cloak over it. Unsurprisingly, the entire crew with the exception of Jaesa had gathered there, waiting for her.

"Had to give you a proper send-off!" Vette's voice cracked a little, and Tori smiled at her. Vette blinked furiously then launched herself at Tori. Tori murmured something in her ear, eliciting a nod and a strangled sob from Vette, then pulled back to drop a sisterly kiss on her smooth forehead.

" _Sith clan will be victorious_ ," Broonmark growled, and Tori turned to him.

"Thank you, Broonmark. I leave this ship's security to your care. Pierce is your commanding officer in my absence."

Broonmark chuffed in acknowledgment, then slunk away as she turned to Pierce.

"You have your orders, Lieutenant," Tori said with a wink and a slight tilt of the head toward where Melia was clinging to Malavai, who was whispering softly to her. Pierce attempted his trademark smirk in response, but it didn't quite materialize, and she reached out to grasp his hand briefly.

"Go get 'em," he said as he returned the gesture, his voice strained.

Finally, Tori turned to her father, who was doing his best to look impassive. "I'm leaving you in charge of this lot," she said, her bravado faltering slightly. He took her face in his hands, smoothing his thumb across the tattoo over her eye that was similar to the one over his own.

"You do what you need to do, and then you get back here. Do I make myself clear?" Andronikos barely spoke above a whisper.

"Yes, sir," she replied, drawing herself up as if standing at attention, then quickly stepped back and looked away.

"Ready, Quinn?" she spoke sharply, suddenly all business.

"Lead the way."

She made her way to his side, then after a moment of silence, turned to face the group in the airlock one last time.

"We'll be right back," she said, and together she and Malavai stepped through the door and out of sight.

It was still early enough on the surface of Korriban that they encountered few people as they made their way to the Sith Academy and up to the antechamber. As promised, Vowrawn was already there, awaiting their arrival.

"At last, Wrath!" he greeted them, giving Quinn a quick once-over but not offering commentary on his presence. "The time is upon us. Baras is in there now attempting to make his claim as the Emperor's Voice official. I'm afraid I am, ah, fashionably late," he finished with a sly smile. "The Council awaits, my dear."

"Very good. Follow me, then. I want my face to be the first thing Baras sees," Tori hissed, her eyes already beginning to flash.

With a sweeping gesture, Vowrawn stepped aside, and they walked to the door. Tori stopped and turned to Malavai.

"You are to leave any and all combat to me. Beyond that, do what you will. If at my side is where you truly intend to be, then this is as much your moment as it is my own. Do not waste it."

Without waiting for a response, she threw open the door and strode in. Under any other circumstances, the sight that met her would have struck her as comical: Baras paced the floor, his belly undulating each time he threw his arms about in impassioned gestures while he droned on to the Council, half of whom looked bored to tears. Upon hearing the door, he stopped mid-sentence, and while she couldn't see his face, Tori felt a rush of anticipation when he spoke, his annoyance plain.

"That had better be Darth Vowrawn coming through those doors," Baras sneered without bothering to turn around.

Tori smiled, realizing he was so swept up in his own performance that he did not sense her, and without reservation or hesitation, opened up her own senses, eagerly anticipating Baras's reaction to her arrival.

"He's with me," she quipped smugly, sliding into a relaxed stance, arms crossed over her chest. She heard Vowrawn softly chuckle behind her as he slipped away to his seat. Quinn, she realized, had come up to stand at her side, just at her elbow, his composure unwavering. Her smile widened when Baras's spine stiffened in shock and recognition, his fury arcing through the Force to feed the fireball smoldering within her.

"Interesting," she heard one of the Council members mutter, just as another sighed loudly.

"This isn't the time for one of your games, Vowrawn," the Darth scolded.

"For the Voice of the Emperor, you're uncharacteristically silent," Tori mocked Baras, stepping up to stand just behind his shoulder. "Did the Emperor not warn you about this?"

"I'm merely amused, young one," Baras attempted to regain his swagger, walking away from Tori to move closer to the Darths circling the perimeter of the room. Tori felt a wave of amusement and realized it came from Malavai.

"He knows he's cornered,"Quinn breathed into her ear. "Watch your step. I'm with you, my lord." She nodded almost imperceptibly, then inhaled sharply in shock as she felt his fingertips brush against hers briefly. With that slightest touch, a thunderclap of unchecked emotion that she registered as his came flooding to her, in a way that she hadn't felt in months, since some of their earliest encounters. Her body was humming now, the Force buzzing through her so strongly that it was all she could do to remain still as Baras addressed the Council.

"My fellows," he simpered, "this is my former apprentice - and, as it appears, her spineless lapdog -" he added for Quinn's benefit. "No doubt you are acquainted with her defiance. She was unworthy of me, so I excised her, and now she has been caught up in some laughable delusion, fueled by Vowrawn, that she is the Emperor's Wrath. The Imperial is of no consequence; a former associate of mine - a charity case, if you will - who has clearly outlived his limited usefulness. And as for Vowrawn, the Emperor will inform me what is to be done with him." Baras's tirade was briefly interrupted by a loud snort from where Vowrawn sat, which Baras blithely ignored. "But for now, assist me in destroying this rabble." Baras swept an arm behind him to indicate Tori and Malavai.

The humming sensation in Tori's body had grown to a full-blown symphony as Baras ranted; the air around her had almost begun to crackle with the intensity.

"Do not hide behind the Council, you coward," she taunted.

"Fine," the Darth who had earlier chided Vowrawn sighed. "Let us swat these gnats so we can move on."

"No," another spoke, rising from his seat, and Tori recognized him as Darth Marr. "Baras claims to be the Voice; this lord claims to be the Wrath. I will not provoke the Emperor. The one who survives speaks truth."

"Protect Vowrawn," Tori hissed to Malavai instinctively with a fleeting glance as she shed the robe she wore over her armor. His eyes darkened as he moved to comply without hesitation, boldly approaching Vowrawn's seat and taking a defensive stance in front of it.

"Ho-ho!" Baras blustered. "Isn't that adorable. The lapdog wants to play guarddog."

Rage roiled within Malavai, but he did not flinch.

"Channel it, my boy," he heard Vowrawn murmur. "Let her feel it. Don't hold back."

"Very well, the master will grant the slave this last request." Baras turned to face Tori, who already had drawn her saber and sank into a crouch. Her eyes blazed as she threw back her hood, and Quinn suppressed a gasp upon realizing that remaining amber had gone and their brilliant green shone with an intensity he had never seen. The chamber had fallen totally silent, save for the quiet hum of Tori's saber, and though her next words were spoken in a deadly whisper, they were heard by every ear in the room:

"I was never, nor shall I ever be, your slave."

She leapt, and Malavai's heart leapt with her.

She was a blur of perfectly honed movement, her strikes and parries coming so fast and hard that they were nearly indistinguishable from one another. At first, Baras seemed equal to her assault, his own saber flashing and spinning blindingly, but never quite fast enough to make solid contact: Tori rolled, flipped, and dodged effortlessly with astounding speed, even as Baras seemed to stand nearly motionless, his saber and the lightning flying from his fingertips seeming to dance around him on their own accord.

Malavai's chest swelled with fear, pride, bloodlust, and love all at once as he watched his lord fight the battle of her life, and he became vaguely aware that his hands were shaking in response to his fight to maintain control enough to protect Vowrawn should the need arise.

"Don't fight it!" Vowrawn's cry was nearly lost in the cacophony of the battle taking place before them. Malavai leaned to one side and gripped the arm of Vowrawn's seat, his knees suddenly weakening as he let the last scraps of his composure fade and all the pent-up emotion of the last months overtake him. He cried out her name, once, just as Tori landed a massive blow to Baras's chest that sent him staggering backwards and clutching his knees to catch his breath.

Tori's attention snapped to Quinn. She held his stare, her own chest heaving with exertion, as Baras straightened and began to laugh mockingly, reaching up to pull off his mask and fling it aside. Believing Tori was distracted, he let fly an intense volley of lightning. Several Darths inched forward in their seats, assuming they were about to see the killing blow, but were brought up short when, without taking her eyes from Malavai, Tori raised her saber and absorbed the strike.

"Had enough, child?" Baras began to taunt, leaning forward as he continued to channel lightning into Tori's blade. "Can you feel your grip on life slipping? Why persist in this futile gesture of vengeance? Let go and embrace your destiny."

Tori's eyes blazed afresh at Baras's words and, still not dropping her gaze from Malavai's, inhaled deeply, just once.

"It seems you did have one final lesson to teach me,  _Master_ ," she finally said, her tone dripping with condescension. "I believe I shall." A chill ran down Malavai's spine at her words, and the energy between them became nearly palpable, even causing a few eyebrows to raise among the Council.

Baras turned to Vowrawn. "Your champion is failing," he crowed, "and you'll be next!"

Vowrawn's eyes lit up as he watched the silent exchange taking place between Tori and Quinn. "Is that coming from you or from the Emperor, Baras?" he drawled. "It is  _so_ difficult to tell the difference."

Baras's lip curled in a sneer, and the lightning flowing from him brightened, arcing toward Tori's blade. Just as it made contact, Tori wrenched her gaze from Malavai and, with a great leap, pushed against the current to charge Baras head-on. The ground crackled where they landed, and once more it seemed they became a knot of whirling sabers and lightning.

Now every member of the Council leaned forward, quickly realizing that Baras was losing ground. The floor of the chamber cracked and scorched where they danced; finally, a great roar ripped from Tori's chest and they looked on in astonishment as Baras flew across the room to land solidly against a pillar with a loud crack. With another cry, Tori leapt to hold her saber to his throat.

"Are you ready to confess that you are not the Voice?"

Baras snarled, and raised his hands as if to channel another torrent of lightning, but only managed a small crackle at his fingertips.

"No!" he cried hoarsely. "I call upon the Dark Council to kill this fool! Now!" Tori let out a harsh laugh as Baras looked at his fellows, panic clearly rising on his face. "The Emperor commands it!" Baras's voice was shrill now, almost pleading.

Silence fell, allowing Baras's desperate wheezes to echo in the chamber. Elation coursed through Malavai, though he could no longer distinguish whether it was his own or Tori's. It did not matter.

"Darth Marr!" Baras gasped. "Strike on the Emperor's behalf, or suffer his disfavor!"

"I believe I'll take my chances," Marr replied, his disdain clear.

"You think you've won; you think you can silence the Emperor's true Voice?" Baras was quickly beginning to remind Tori of a sandbar beetle that had been flipped on its back, waving its legs ever more furiously in an attempt to right itself, but only succeeding in becoming further enraged and looking more absurd. "Deliver the death blow, then! Even from beyond darkness I shall strike at you! Someday vengeance will be mine!"

Heads were beginning to shake around the chamber, bolstering Tori even more as she stared down the pathetic man before her. She sheathed her saber, tucking it into her belt, drawing a ripple of disbelieving murmurs. Still pinning Baras against the wall with an elbow to his gut, she slowly drew off one of her gloves, not allowing him to escape her gaze even for a second. She smiled sardonically as she slowly wrapped the fingers of her ungloved hand tightly around his throat, increasing the pressure there little by little, one fingertip at a time.

"I am going to enjoy feeling the life drain from your veins beneath my fingers," she hissed, using her free hand to extract Baras's own saber from his belt. "Take one last look around, Baras. Look at their faces. See the disgust, the pity. Now they see you without your mask. Now they see what I have seen all along."

Increasing the pressure on the outside of his neck, she forced his gaze back to her face. Without another word, she ignited his blade and slowly, deliberately, drove it through him to the hilt. She lingered there, feeling his pulse weaken and stop, watching the life drain from his eyes, feeling his presence in the Force fade to nothing as the Council and Malavai looked on in complete silence. Once she was satisfied, she withdrew and sheathed his blade, hung his saber on her belt, and sent his corpse flying to land in the center of the chamber floor with a resounding thud.

No one spoke as Tori wiped her hands down the sides of her armor as if trying to wipe away something filthy. She lifted her chin, making eye contact with every Darth in the room as she calmly walked over to stand next to the lump that was Baras.

Vowrawn broke the silence, pride brimming in his voice. "You have proven that you are truly worthy of the Emperor's favor. The Dark Council knows that the Emperor's Wrath has free reign." His last words were meant as a warning to the Council, Tori realized, and she shot Vowrawn a surreptitious wink.

It was not lost on Darth Marr, either. "You are acknowledged, Wrath," he said to Tori. "Your actions will not be challenged as long as they do not contradict our own."

Tori dipped forward in a small bow, but remained silent.

Vowrawn rose from his seat. "Let the enemies of the Empire tremble! The Emperor's Wrath shall consume them all!"

One by one, the rest of the Council stood, most of them catching Tori's eye and returning her bow of respect. She stood before them, but felt no need to speak. Instead, she turned to Malavai. She tilted her head subtly, and he immediately left Vowrawn's side, coming over to stand before her and beginning to tilt into a bow himself.

"No," she commanded, and he straightened to meet her gaze. "At my side."

Vowrawn smiled in satisfaction as the two of them turned and, shoulder to shoulder, swept out of the Council chambers.


End file.
